TikTok has launched AI Alive, a new tool that allows users to animate still images and turn them into short videos.
Now available through the Story Camera on the platform, this innovation gives users the ability to transform static images into motion-filled clips directly within the app.
The tool adds effects such as movement, sound, and atmosphere to the original photo. If, for example, someone uploads a photo of a sunset over the ocean, the tool can simulate the gradual change of sky colour, drifting clouds, and background audio of waves crashing. It can also animate faces and gestures in group photos, making them appear more lifelike.
Users don’t need any prior editing experience. The process is simple: open the Story Camera, select a photo from your Story Album, and tap the AI Alive icon on the edit screen. TikTok says these AI videos will appear in the For You and Following feeds, as well as on the creator’s profile.
With this feature, TikTok is vying to top the short-form content space by making tools that are intuitive and accessible. In doing so, it aims to attract more creators and keep users engaged.
But TikTok is also preparing for the risks that come with tools like this. Each AI Alive video undergoes layers of review before it appears in the app.
As stated by TikTok, “Moderation technology reviews the uploaded photo and written AI generation prompt as well as the AI Alive video before it’s shown to the creator.” A final safety check is also carried out before a creator can post.
Every animated video will carry a label to show it was generated using AI. Additionally, metadata based on C2PA standards is embedded in the files, allowing anyone, even off the app, to detect that the video was created with artificial intelligence.
TikTok claims it’s building these tools with the community’s safety in mind. “We are always building with safety in mind, and the same goes for our AI innovations,” the company noted in its official statement.
There’s also a reporting feature for users who spot anything suspicious or inappropriate. According to TikTok, the system has been designed so that any misuse or breach of platform rules can be quickly flagged and dealt with.
While rivals like Instagram and Snapchat have already experimented with image generation, TikTok is taking a different route, turning pictures into short, dynamic stories. Snapchat, for instance, has said it will soon roll out a similar tool, but TikTok has now taken the lead.
For creators, AI Alive is a chance to present moments in a new format, be it an animated photo of a vacation, a special event, or just a creative experiment.
