A picture is worth a thousand algorithms.

Choosing the best photo to elicit a response has long been the challenge of everyone from advertisers to Instagram follower-seekers.

Likely AI’s founders said they have developed computer software that takes such guesswork out of human hands (and eyes) and makes the best choice.

Jozef Marko and Lukas Ruttkay were working for Google and Facebook in Slovakia and the Ukraine when they came up with the idea and began developing the algorithms. Likely AI was the result.

The duo was looking to be part of a business accelerator program and began looking at which one in the world had the nearest deadline and, therefore, would start soonest. They stumbled upon Velocity Accelerator in Birmingham.

Although they initially thought they were applying for Birmingham, England, they were more than happy to make the move to the Magic City when they were selected for the first class of Velocity Accelerator at Birmingham, Alabama’s Innovation Depot.

Likely AI is part of Birmingham’s Velocity Accelerator inaugural class from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Velocity Accelerator is a 12-week program designed to give a select group of startups focused mentorship and guidance to speed their growth. The inaugural class of 10 companies was announced in December and started in January with $50,000 in seed capital. The program concludes with Demo Day on April 18.

Both Marko and Ruttkay say being part of the program has advanced Likley AI much further than they would be on their own. They are hoping to generate interest from investors at Demo Day.

So will they be heading back to Ukraine?

Marko said they are enjoying being in Birmingham and won’t rule out putting down some roots there.

That’s something he never would have pictured a few months ago.