TikTok AI Alive turns static photos to videos

TikTok has launched a new feature called TikTok AI Alive, designed to add a dynamic twist to users' photos by transforming them into short, animated videos. This functionality, integrated into TikTok Stories, allows users to take static images from their Story Album and animate them with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), offering a more engaging form of visual storytelling. The feature is similar to the image-to-video capabilities introduced by Character.AI through its AvatarFX tool, which also animates still images.

With AI Alive, TikTok aims to make creative expression simpler and more interactive. Users can begin by selecting a photo from their album through the TikTok Story Camera. After tapping the AI Alive icon, the photo is brought to life, with the AI animating elements of the image. For example, a sunset image might evolve with shifting sky colors, or a group photo could give the impression of a lively, evolving memory. The feature is designed to foster creativity, encouraging TikTok’s massive user base of over a billion people to create more engaging and visually captivating content.

TikTok emphasizes that the goal of AI Alive is to empower users to unleash their creativity, providing an easy way for anyone to become a content creator. To ensure the feature is not misused, TikTok has implemented moderation technology that reviews each uploaded photo and any associated user instructions before the AI-generated video is shown. There is also a final safety check before the video is allowed to be posted to a Story.

In line with TikTok's ongoing commitment to content integrity, users can report any videos they believe violate the platform’s rules. Additionally, all AI-generated videos created using AI Alive are clearly labeled as such, ensuring transparency. TikTok has also embedded C2PA metadata into the AI-generated videos, allowing others to verify their AI origin even if the content is downloaded and shared outside of the platform.

By introducing AI Alive, TikTok is expanding its suite of creative tools, helping users explore new forms of storytelling and animation while maintaining a focus on security and transparency.