3 Ways You Didn’t Know AI Can Enhance Your Social Media Images

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI), what impact it could have on people in different industries, and whether it might take over the world. But does it mean much for content creators and regular Instagram users?

The vast majority of the conversation around generative AI for content is focused on text outputs, but there’s also plenty of buzz around relatively new capabilities like text-to-image – especially code bases like Midjourney and DALL-E, which let you create totally new visuals in a any artistic style from nothing more than a descriptive prompt. A few weeks ago, for example, some visuals portraying Donald Trump skirmishing with police and Pope Francis wearing a puffer coat, went viral.

What’s more, AI “magic avatar” generators like Lensa blew up in December, with our social feeds surfacing computer-created versions of our friends looking more “fantastical” than before, but the hype around that use case seems to have plateaued in recent months.

But that doesn’t mean our fascination with AI-enhanced visuals is over. Did you know that AI can improve your images in scroll-stopping ways that go way beyond what filters were capable of even a year ago? Here are three lesser-known AI functionalities that you can use to generate eye-catching images and dominate the platforms.

1. Turbo-charge image resolution

Enhancing image resolution might sound like old news, but AI enables “super-resolution,” which is a whole new ball game. Newer AI tools use deep learning techniques to increase resolution with even more precision. They can remove noise and flaws from photos, restore focus to out-of-focus pictures, and correct low lighting, resulting in images that are sharper and higher quality.

There are loads of platforms offering this functionality, including HitPaw, which is recommended for its ease of use and reliability. You can correct any image in just a couple of clicks. Simply upload your photo, apply the correction, and enjoy the result.

It’s well worth using AI’s powerful resolution enhancements to improve your photos. Outstandingly clear images allow your account to grab attention in a crowded field. Social media platforms prioritize high-quality content, and sharper images look more professional, helping you gain more engagement and in turn, more followers.

High-quality visuals also add to your account’s credibility and boosts loyalty among your audience. Posting consistently excellent and professional-looking content can help you establish a reputation as someone trustworthy and authentic, and if you’re interested in landing sponsored content deals, this can attract more brands to work with you.

2. Transform moods and settings

AI can turn an ordinary photo into something truly extraordinary, using a deep learning technique called Neural Style Transfer. This uses algorithms to learn different artistic styles and then apply the style of one image to another. It’s best used for landscape and scenery photos, or room interiors.

For example, you could turn your vacation photo into a painting in the style of Monet, transform the view out your window into a post-apocalyptic landscape from The Last of Us, or convert a snap of your new living room setup into an other-worldly environment. Neural style transfer also enables you to amplify specific features of the image and make others blurred or more abstract, drastically changing the atmosphere of your visuals.

Lightricks Photoleap is one of the top AI apps for this kind of project. You can use its new “AI Scenes” tool to transfigure even the most mundane image into an arresting visual, upgrade humdrum stock images into something unique and alluring, and apply specific moods and ambience to any picture.

AI style transfer enables you to set your imagination free. Original visuals allow you to expand your reputation for inventiveness, appeal to an even larger audience. When your images express your individuality, you can build a distinct visual brand that makes every post recognizably “yours” and helps you stand out from the masses, helping you to build a tribe of followers.

3. Colorize scans of vintage photos

We’re in the midst of a wave of interest in genealogy and family history. Many people are seeking their roots, unearthing old photos, and scanning and uploading images of time gone by. Most of these photos are black and white or sepia tones, which eradicate vivid details like skin tones and clothing colors and can make the subjects seem flat and dull. But new AI tools make it easy to tint and colorize these pictures accurately and realistically.

You can use MyHeritage InColor to quickly colorize your old images in a single click. With MyHeritage, there’s no loss of quality for the processed images, and the AI algorithm is trustworthy when it comes to color matching. This is particularly important when you’re colorizing portraits and want to apply authentic skin tone shades.

Accurate, reliable colorization is a valuable capability. It helps us feel the atmosphere that was captured in the photo, imagine the feelings and hopes of the subjects of each image, and brings the past closer to the present day. Colored photos increase our sense of connection to family members and loved ones from the past, and help us feel a stronger relationship with people who may have lived very different lives.

AI image editing can turbocharge your social media images

AI offers a wealth of exciting and innovative possibilities for editing and manipulating images. Creators and anyone who loves posting images should be trying out these options to unleash their creativity, establish a unique visual brand, and draw more eyes to their social media images.