Phota Labs launches iOS app that uses AI to transform everyday photos

Phota Labs launched an iOS app that uses a personal AI assistant to turn everyday snapshots into professional-looking images. The a16z-backed startup, founded by former Adobe employees Cecilia Zhang and Zach Xia, says its technology fixes the shot itself rather than simply editing the image, while preserving the identity of people in the frame.

Users can choose styles ranging from subtle adjustments to more dramatic changes, including alternative angles and fisheye-lens effects. Edited images receive invisible watermarks identifying them as altered by AI when shared on social platforms. The company is initially targeting people who take many photos and want to share them without dealing with a time-consuming editing process.