How to Use the AI Zoom Out Feature Trending on TikTok? What Are the Risks of Using the Feature?

TikTokers participating in viral zoom-out trend

A recent trend on social media sites, especially TikTok, brought to light a new set of features of artificial intelligence (AI). However, it has now raised a few concerns. TikTokers were seen participating in a zoom-out trend which uses a CapCut template to zoom out from an image and then add an artificial background that fills the rest of the pictures. Some people are simply taking a selfie and then letting the feature complete the picture and posting it with the hashtag #lautocompleta. The hashtag has amassed more than 3.5 billion views on the video-sharing platform.

There's also a sound effect that contributed to the photo's already eerie vibe. “Nah cause this AI filter is (lowkey scary),” wrote Konner Burrell. Mia Blume, who is an AI expert and design coach spoke to Yahoo News and said "It feels a little too magical sometimes. You might wonder, how did it know? It doesn’t." "It just makes the best guess it can based on the information within the image provided and its training material to find common patterns," she added.

How does the TikTok zoom-out feature work?

The TikTok zoom-out feature allows users to expand any canvas of any picture without changing the original picture. To create the effect, the user will have to upload a picture into the CapCut template. Then, this software simply zooms out and creates a new picture. After which you can see the altered picture and place it into the next slot of the template. Here's how Fleur Jansen used the trend.

Many people took to the video to share their views, one person wrote, "It took me a minute to get this...this is freaky." This filter reportedly uses generative technology that helps to fill the rest of the image with a surrounding that matches the original image. The particular filter is especially magical with the background score. 

Here are the steps to use the filter:

1. Upload a photo into the Capcut template

2. The AI software will simply zoom out and create a new picture.

3. You can take a screenshot and then place it in the next slot in the template.

You can also use the filter on a video.

1. Open the video

2. Look for the AI editing  option

3. Select infinite zoom

4. Tap the upload button.

So basically you can select six images to expand in a single TikTok video and you have to upload the images to CapCut otherwise there's no way you can do it.

The risks associated with the zoom-out feature 

Blume says that the applications of AI could be dangerous when used outside of TikTok because of how some people may use it. She talks about how many people would be able to create altered media as well as deep fakes. "As the tools get more sophisticated, I can only imagine we will see more people using them to generate more sophisticated scams that leverage photos, voice, and maybe even video to deceive people we know and trust. It puts their users at risk," she said.

Midjourney's new AI feature

This feature was first started by the AI image generator Midjourney. The company launched a new feature that lets users expand on an image they created by generating a few visual elements around the original picture. 

You simply start by using an initial prompt that asks mid-journey to produce an image for you. You will be presented with an option to zoom out by either a 1.5x or 2x. While there are downsides that we just discussed, many people took the feature positively and talked about what a game changer it is in the editing industry.