TikTok has launched its first image-to-video AI feature that can transform a user’s photos into videos for free within the app.
On Tuesday, TikTok announced “AI Alive,” a tool that lets user turn their static photos into videos with a prompt to describe what they want the video to look like. This feature is available exclusively through TikTok’s Story Camera.
“AI Alive uses intelligent editing tools that give anyone, regardless of editing experience, the ability to transform static images into captivating, short-form videos enhanced with movement, atmospheric, and creative effects,” TikTok writes in a blog post.
In an example, TikTok explains how its AI Tool can turn a serene sunset photo into a cinematic clip: “where the sky gradually shifts hues, the clouds start to drift, and you hear the sound of waves crashing.” Likewise, TikTok says a single group selfie can be transformed into a video that accentuates every gesture and expression among friends or family.
How to Use TikTok’s AI Alive
To begin, users should open the Story Camera in the TikTok app by tapping the blue “+” icon located at the top of either the Inbox page or the Profile page. They can then select a single photo from their Story Album. On the photo edit page, the AI Alive Icon will appear on the right-side toolbar. Once the AI Alive Story is created and posted, it becomes viewable within the For You and Following feeds, as well as on the user’s profile page, providing followers with multiple ways to engage with the content.
According to TikTok, AI-generated stories created with AI Alive will feature a special label indicating they were made with AI. Additionally, each video will include embedded C2PA metadata—a technical standard that ensures the AI origin is traceable even if the clip is downloaded and shared outside of TikTok. Users can flag any videos they believe violate the platform’s guidelines, and TikTok performs a final safety review before an AI Alive story goes live.
“As this technology enables new forms of creative expression, it undergoes multiple trust and safety checks to protect our community,” TikTok writes. “To help prevent people from creating content that violates our policies, 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.”