Phota Labs uses AI to turn everyday photos into professional-looking shots

Phota Labs launched a new iOS app that uses a personal AI photo assistant to transform everyday snapshots into professional-looking images while preserving the subject's authentic appearance. Founded by Cecilia Zhang and Zach Xia, who met at Adobe, the a16z-backed startup raised a $5.6 million seed round last year and is launching as a free app before exploring a freemium model, with an Android app planned. The app offers different photography styles, from subtle edits to dramatic transformations like fisheye lenses and alternative angles, and adds invisible watermarks to edited images shared on social platforms.