Pivoting with Purpose: How a Canceled Project was Adapted for Success

Every project manager has faced that moment—when a well-planned idea meets unexpected challenges. No matter how flawless the technology seems, real-world implementation brings hurdles that force teams to rethink their approach.

Picture this: Your team built an AI Photo Booth App for a client. The tech works great. The demos are impressive. The future looks bright.

Then legal concerns come in with important questions.

What if users uploaded inappropriate content? What if the AI generates discriminating images? What legal risks did this pose to the brand?

It seemed like a simple AI-powered photo booth— but beneath the surface lay a web of ethical and legal challenges: content moderation, privacy concerns, and the risk of AI-generated mishaps.

Let’s dive into how  the team navigated these challenges towards a purposeful transformation.

🚀 Man On A Mission

When we got hired to design this AI-powered photo booth for a global corporation, saying we were excited would be an understatement. The photo booth app was going to be used for in-person events and online uploads for the general public.

You would enter the brand launch event, step in front of the photo booth to take a picture, and then receive an AI-generated image of yourself featuring a custom frame with products from the brand. This marketing strategy aimed to make promotions more interactive, relatable, and shareable.

This was the vision. 

With our feet on the ground and mind at the ready, it was finally time for us to get our hands dirty.

🔁 A Series of Trial and Error

The concept was thrilling, and bringing this bright idea into reality came with a lot of tweaks and revisions.

Extensive testing was required to fine-tune the artificial intelligence model and filter out any problematic results. The team had to consider a lot of factors because the stakes were high.

⚖️ Day of Judgement

When the time came to present the project to the client, the app worked well... but questions and concerns about ethical practices came to light.

What if someone uploaded an inappropriate photo? What if misleading images were produced by the AI? What if things go horribly wrong for someone’s personal interests?

The discussion wasn’t just about technology— it was about trust in the AI’s ability to generate appropriate images, uphold brand integrity, and mitigate risks. The panel heavily debated the AI’s accuracy, the effectiveness of content filtering, and the risks of reputational damage if the tool was misused.

While the team showcased the AI’s capabilities, the client carefully evaluated the broader implications. Given privacy considerations and the potential risks associated with user-generated content, they eventually chose to prioritize brand safety.

The client decided to discontinue using the app for their launch, a decision we respect and ultimately agreed with.

⚙️ Shifting Gears in Redirection

What seemed like a dead end, however, turned into a new beginning. 

Instead of letting the technology go to waste, the team repurposed the AI photo booth concept for smaller events, where the implementation posed fewer brand risks.

We got the client's approval to recreate the app, given that it will use only the core features from the original one, and everything branding-wise will be changed. We also had to modify and add in a couple of other features.

Unlike a global corporate campaign, these face-to-face events provided a more controlled environment where the AI photo booth could be closely supervised. Attendees were guided on ethical AI-generated content, minimizing risks while maximizing engagement.

The AI-powered photo booth was deployed at events like Geeks on the Beach and Google Developer Group Cebu, where it quickly gained traction. With clear guidelines and audience expectations in place, the concerns raised in the initial pitch were effectively managed.

People lined up, enthusiastically took photos with fellow attendees, and got real-time copies of their AI-generated portraits. Not just meant for promotion, the photo booth became a crucial tool to build rapport, exchange ideas and smiles, and network with the tech community.

The AI photo booth transformed from a shelved concept into an impactful experience.

Not every project succeeds on its first attempt (sometimes, at all), and that’s okay. 

The AI photo booth’s journey— from rejection to redirection and reinvention— shows how "failures" can lead to unexpected opportunities. With lessons learned and growing interest, the team is now planning the next steps of the AI photo booth as a product for its right markets.

This experience serves as a reminder: innovation is rarely about immediate success— it’s about adapting, improving, and finding the community where your ideas belong.

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Story by Jice Ayop, Symph Content Marketing Intern 2025