I Benchmarked 8 “AI Image Compression” Tools Using a 20MB File — Only Two Passed
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AI image compression tools love to promise magic: smaller file size, zero quality loss. Reality? Not so clean.
I took a 6144×4096 PNG (20.3MB) generated via Sora, ran it through Upscayl, resized to 1600×1067, and tested 8 different tools claiming to use AI compression.
ai, image-optimization, devtools, blogging, webperf
Tested Tools (besides Squoosh):
✅ ShortPixel
❌ TinyPNG
❌ Nero AI
❌ Optidash
❌ Pixelcut
❌ ImageAI (img.ly)
❌ Krikey AI
❌ Imagify
TLDR Verdict:
✅ ShortPixel (after resize) came closest to Squoosh in preserving clarity and reducing file size.
❌ TinyPNG blurred faces and gradients.
❌ Nero AI, Optidash destroyed soft tones.
❌ Others weren’t even real compressors.
Real Compression Wins:
1. Squoosh – gold standard
2. ShortPixel – resized, reliable
I included real visual comparisons using a UI-heavy, facial-gradient test image — not stock thumbnails. This wasn't marketing. It was a teardown.
➡️ Full benchmark with side-by-side visuals:
🔗 https://engineeredai.net/ai-image-compression-tools-benchmark/
Written by the Chaos Optimizer behind Engineered AI — no fluff, no hype, just brutal benchmarks and tools that actually work.
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