Snapchat to Release AI-powered AR Lenses; Opens Up Chatbot to Global Users
In Brief
Snapchat is introducing generative AI-powered AR lenses.
The multimedia messaging app has also opened its AI chatbot to a global audience for free.
Snap said that users have used the chatbot to send nearly 2 million messages per day.
Snapchat announced at its Snap Partner Summit on Wednesday that it will be rolling out AR lenses powered by generative AI. According to TechCrunch, the first AI-generated AR lens will be a new “Cosmic Lens,” which overlays an illustrative-style filter with iridescent colors on top of the user.
During the event, Snap CTO Bobby Murphy said that AI and AR are “deeply interconnected” and that Snap hopes to seamlessly combine both technologies. While Snapchat has been experimenting with AR since last year, it has recently jumped on the AI wagon amidst the buzz surrounding artificial intelligence.
Alongside the announcement, Snapchat also will be launching new features that make it easier for users to find relevant AR lenses that suit the context of a photo or video captured by users. This process will involve using both visual recognition technology to analyze the camera’s view and APIs that can interpret certain contextual information such as local weather, forecast, and time of day.
The company has also improved its Lens carousel ranking algorithms and updated the AR bar, enabling users to find suggested Lenses by category. According to Snapchat, more than 3 million Lenses have been built by over 300,000 AR creators around the world.
At the summit, Snapchat also announced that its chatbot, My AI, will now be available for free to its 750 million global users after initially launching it in February for paid subscribers. The AI chatbot is powered by OpenAI’s GPT. Snap said that users had used the chatbot to send nearly 2 million messages per day.
The global rollout of MyAI also comes with new features, such as the ability to add the chatbot to group chats, suggest recommendations for Snap Map and Lenses, and reply to chats. Later, it will also be able to respond with Snaps instead of text replies.
Shortly after MyAI’s debut in February, the chatbot was reportedly replying to messages in ways that were not age-appropriate. Snap then introduced new tools such as age filters and insights into Family Center parental controls to help parents stay informed about their children’s interactions with the chatbot.
Even though MyAI is now globally available, the Family Center insights feature is still a work in progress. MyAI will require a paid upgrade to access certain generative AI features that will be rolled out in the future.
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About The Author
Cindy is a journalist at Metaverse Post, covering topics related to web3, NFT, metaverse and AI, with a focus on interviews with Web3 industry players. She has spoken to over 30 C-level execs and counting, bringing their valuable insights to readers. Originally from Singapore, Cindy is now based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications & Media Studies from the University of South Australia and has a decade of experience in journalism and writing. Get in touch with her via [email protected] with press pitches, announcements and interview opportunities.
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Cindy is a journalist at Metaverse Post, covering topics related to web3, NFT, metaverse and AI, with a focus on interviews with Web3 industry players. She has spoken to over 30 C-level execs and counting, bringing their valuable insights to readers. Originally from Singapore, Cindy is now based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications & Media Studies from the University of South Australia and has a decade of experience in journalism and writing. Get in touch with her via [email protected] with press pitches, announcements and interview opportunities.
