New AI Camera App Superpose Coaches Users on How to Pose

Two former TikTok employees have launched Superpose, an iOS camera app that uses generative AI to suggest poses and help users take better portrait photos. Founded by Melody Chu and Jing Liu, the app launched in July and has already surpassed 22,000 downloads, with users generating more than 190,000 pose suggestions.

Superpose works by starting with a real photo rather than creating an entirely synthetic image. Users can take a selfie or photograph someone else, then receive four AI-generated posing ideas based on that image. They can save those suggestions or use a match-pose feature to position themselves according to the recommended pose.

The results are not always polished. Some suggestions can look exaggerated or unnatural, an issue Chu acknowledged the company is still working to improve. Superpose is also developing better generation styles, more personalization and additional coaching directly through the camera viewfinder.

The startup is deliberately keeping its focus narrow. Rather than generating artificial backgrounds or placing users in fictional scenes, Superpose wants AI to help people improve photos they are actually taking.

“We want to lean into the core of memory capture versus, say, putting you in a fantastical place that you’ve never been,” Chu said. “I think there are so many apps that do that well already, but we really wanna focus on actually capturing the lived moment and experience.”

The idea came from a problem Chu encountered in her own life: she was unhappy with the photos her husband took of her.

“My husband just takes awful photos of me. It was a true pain point in our marriage where I don’t understand how he gets me to look just so terrible all the time,” Chu said. “And I thought to myself, there has to be a way to solve this problem with advancements in computer vision and generative AI. And I decided to set out on my own.”

Before starting Superpose, Chu worked in product roles at Meta, Nextdoor, Roblox, TikTok and Slack. Liu previously worked as a founding engineer at a 3D face-scanning startup before joining TikTok, where she worked on image and video models.

Superpose offers five free generations each day. Users who want more can purchase five additional generations for $2.99 or a package of 20 for $9.99.

The company has raised $2.2 million from Khosla Ventures, Meitu and OVTR VC.

Superpose arrives as other technology companies experiment with AI as a photography coach. Google introduced Camera Coach for Pixel phones to provide guidance on framing and composition, while Adobe has tested AI-powered critiques that suggest ways photographers can improve a shot.

Superpose is taking a more specific approach by concentrating on portraits and posing. Rather than trying to replace the photograph with generated imagery, the startup is betting that AI can become part of the process before the picture is taken, helping users decide how to position themselves and compose the shot.

This analysis is based on reporting from TechCrunch.

Images courtesy of Superpose.

This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.