> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://helping.alive-pic.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# How AI Effects Are Generated

Ever wonder what happens between the moment your guest takes a photo and the moment the transformed result appears? Here's a peek behind the curtain.

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## The AI Pipeline

When a guest applies an AI effect, their photo goes through a cloud-based processing pipeline:

1. **Your guest takes a photo** at the booth
2. **The photo is uploaded** to ALIVE's cloud processing service
3. **The AI analyzes the image** — it identifies the people, the background, and the composition
4. **The selected style is applied** — the AI generates a completely new version of the image in the chosen artistic style
5. **The result is sent back** to the booth and displayed on the share screen

For photo effects, this entire process takes just a few seconds.

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## Photo Effects vs Video Effects

**Photo effects** use a single AI step — the photo goes in, a styled image comes out.

**Video effects** use a two-step process:

1. **Step 1: Image transformation** — The photo is first transformed into the selected artistic style, just like a regular photo effect
2. **Step 2: Video generation** — A second AI model takes the styled image and generates an animated video, adding motion, expressions, and movement

This two-step process is why video effects take slightly longer and cost more credits than photo effects.

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## Why It's Cloud-Based

AI effect processing happens in the cloud, not on the iPad. There are good reasons for this:

* **Processing power** — The AI models that generate these effects need powerful hardware that wouldn't fit in an iPad
* **Always improving** — We can upgrade the AI models on our end without requiring an app update
* **New effects instantly** — When we add new effects to the library, they're available immediately — no download needed
* **Consistent quality** — Every booth gets the same high-quality results regardless of the iPad model

The trade-off is that you need an internet connection for AI effects to work. No internet = no AI effects (but photo capture and printing still work fine).

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## What About Speed?

Most photo effects process in **2–5 seconds**. The actual time depends on:

* **Internet speed** — Faster upload = faster results
* **Effect complexity** — Some styles take slightly longer than others
* **Server load** — During peak hours, processing may take a few seconds longer

The app handles all of this gracefully — guests see a brief loading animation while the AI works its magic.

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## What's Next?

* [AI Credits — Pay-As-You-Go Pricing](/en/article/ai-credits-pay-as-you-go-pricing-1a6uukz) — How effects are priced
* [AI Video Effects](/en/article/ai-video-effects-1o8c1ys) — Turn guest photos into animated videos