AI-generated editorial illustration; not a documentary photograph.
Superpose, an iOS camera app created by former TikTok employees Melody Chu and Jing Liu, has raised $2.2 million from Khosla Ventures, Meitu and OVTR Ventures. The app uses generative AI to propose poses that users can recreate when taking portraits.
The startup launched Superpose in July. It has recorded more than 22,000 downloads, while users have generated over 190,000 poses, according to figures provided by the company to TechCrunch.
From Photo to Pose
A user begins by taking a selfie or photographing another person. Superpose then generates four possible poses, which can be saved or used with a matching mode that helps the subject position themselves according to the suggestion.
The product is intended to guide the capture of real-world portraits rather than generate replacement backgrounds or wholly synthetic scenes. Superpose is entering a broader category of AI-assisted photography tools that also includes Google's Camera Coach for Pixel phones and an experimental Adobe camera feature for photo critiques.
Experience in Social and Imaging
Chu previously held product roles at Meta, Nextdoor, Roblox, TikTok and Slack. Liu was a founding engineer at a 3D face-scanning startup before working on image and video models at TikTok, giving the founding team experience across consumer software and visual AI.
Usage-Based Pricing
Superpose includes five free generations each day. Additional usage is sold in packs: five generations cost $2.99, while 20 cost $9.99. The source does not disclose revenue, valuation or the terms of the $2.2 million funding round.
Uncanny Results Remain
TechCrunch reported that some generated poses appeared extravagant or uncanny, a limitation Chu also acknowledged. The startup says it is working on generation styles, personalization and more direct coaching through the camera viewfinder, but no release dates for those improvements were provided.
Source: Former TikTok execs built an app that uses AI to teach you how to pose for a photo
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