Phota Labs has launched an AI photo editing app for iPhone users. The Phota Labs AI photo app transforms everyday snapshots into professional-looking images while aiming to preserve natural appearances.
Former Adobe employees Cecilia Zhang and Zach Xia founded the startup. It raised $5.6 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. The app is free at launch, with an Android version planned.
How the Phota Labs AI Photo App Works
Phota focuses on improving entire photographs instead of requiring users to make individual adjustments.
According to its official website, the app uses AI to improve composition, lighting and perspective.
It can turn wide-angle group photos into tighter portraits. Users can also transform selfies to look like photos taken from different angles.
Available styles include subtle enhancements, alternative perspectives and fisheye lens effects.
AI Editing Designed to Preserve Natural Appearances
Phota Labs says its technology learns people’s appearances to help preserve their identities during editing.
This addresses a common problem with generative AI tools. Such systems can unintentionally alter facial features when processing blurry or poorly composed photographs.
The company also says its edited images contain invisible watermarks identifying them as AI-modified.
These are company claims. Their reliability has not been independently established through hands-on testing.
Former Adobe Employees Raise $5.6 Million.
Zhang and Xia previously worked on Adobe photography products, including Lightroom, Photoshop and Project Indigo.
They founded Phota Labs to make advanced photo editing accessible without professional photography skills.
The startup raised $5.6 million in seed funding in 2025, led by Andreessen Horowitz. The investment supports development of its personalized photography technology.
Phota App Availability and Pricing
The Phota: AI Photo Assistant app is available for free on Apple’s App Store for iPhone users.
Phota Labs plans to introduce a freemium model. Subscription pricing and an Android release date remain unannounced.
The app enters a competitive AI photography market. Existing tools already offer automatic enhancements, object removal and portrait editing.
TechAmerica previously covered Superpose, an AI photography app designed to improve portrait poses.
Phota takes a different approach, automatically transforming existing pictures. Its success will depend partly on preserving recognizable faces while improving photographic quality.
