What happens to photos you upload to an AI video app?

Updated October 21, 2026 · Reviewed by The Rift team

Short answer

It depends on the app, so read its privacy information before you upload. Ask whether it keeps your photos, whether it learns from them, and how you delete them. In Rift, where Spark, Rift's video agent, uses your photos to plan a video, learning from your videos is off until you say yes after your first video. Delete videos in Library, and delete your account and data in Profile.

A photo of your face is personal. Before you upload one, know three things: what is kept, what is learned and how to remove it.

What you need

The app’s privacy information.
A photo you are happy to share, and your friend’s yes if it’s theirs.

Step by step

Read the privacy information before the first upload.
Add the photo only if you accept what it says.
Look for the consent question. In Rift it comes after your first video, and the answer is off until you say yes.
Use the app and check the Draft before you tap Make.
Delete when done: videos in Library, account and data in Profile.

Lines to try with Spark

“Me on a beach at sunrise.”
“My cat in a tiny chef hat.”
“My car on a coastal road.”
“My living room as a cosy cabin.”

Tips

Use photos that are yours. Ask others first.
Say no to extras you don’t want.
Delete what you no longer need.

Questions people ask

Does Rift learn from my videos?

Only if you say yes. Rift asks after your first video, and the answer is off until you allow it.

How do I delete a video?

Open Library and delete it there.

How do I delete everything?

Delete your account and data in Profile.

Can I change my mind after saying yes?

Check the app's settings for the current options.