MagicLens

Inspiration

MagicLens was born from the desire to make professional image editing accessible to everyone through AI. Witnessing the complexity of traditional tools and the potential of multimodal AI, we aimed to create a tool that feels magical yet powerful, allowing users to edit photos with simple natural language commands.

What it does

MagicLens is a web-based AI image editor that transforms photos using natural language prompts. Users can upload images, describe edits (e.g., "remove the TV and blend the background"), and watch AI generate seamless results. Features include object removal, generative fill, smart masking, filters, and real-time previews—all powered by Google's Gemini for prompt parsing and Bria's API for image generation.

How we built it

We built MagicLens using Next.js 16 with React 19 and TypeScript for a robust frontend framework. Styling was implemented with Tailwind CSS v4 for utility-first design, enhanced by Aceternity UI components and Motion for smooth animations. The core AI functionality relies on Azure OpenAI (GPT-4o) for parsing natural language into JSON commands, integrated with Bria's generative fill API for image processing. Additional libraries like Lucide React for icons, Class Variance Authority for component variants, and TSParticles for visual effects were used to create an engaging user experience. The project was developed iteratively, with API calls handled via Next.js API routes and environment variables for secure configuration.

Challenges we ran into

Integrating Azure OpenAI and Bria APIs presented challenges, including handling rate limits and ensuring accurate JSON parsing from natural language prompts (initial accuracy ~80%, improved to ~95% through prompt engineering). UI performance optimization was tricky, as animations and real-time previews required minimizing DOM manipulations to maintain 60fps rendering. Network timeouts and API response variability necessitated robust error handling and retry logic. Balancing a beautiful, responsive design with complex state management for image editing tools also demanded careful architecture decisions.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully creating a seamless AI-driven image editing experience where users can describe edits in plain English and see instant results. The integration of Azure OpenAI for agentic workflows with Bria's API enables professional-grade operations like object removal and generative fill. We're proud of the polished UI, featuring light themes, Aceternity animations, and intuitive tools that make advanced editing accessible. The app's scalability for production use and the ability to handle complex prompts demonstrate our innovative approach to multimodal AI.

What we learned

We gained deep insights into AI-driven development, particularly how LLMs can translate unstructured input into structured API calls for deterministic outcomes. Key learnings include optimizing prompt complexity for accuracy, managing asynchronous API responses, and enhancing UI performance through efficient rendering techniques. Collaboration between frontend aesthetics and backend AI integration highlighted the importance of iterative testing and user-centered design in building reliable AI applications.

What's next for MagicLens

Future enhancements include expanding controllability with HDR support, 16-bit color spaces, and multimodal inputs like voice commands. We'll add user accounts for saving edits, batch processing for enterprise workflows, and community features for sharing templates. Plans also involve developing a mobile app, integrating additional APIs for video editing and 3D rendering, and implementing advanced features like style transfer and automated background removal. Continuous improvements to AI accuracy and UI responsiveness will ensure MagicLens remains at the forefront of accessible image editing tools.

Built With

• azure
• bria
• fibo
• nextjs
• openai
• typescript