Snapchat's new lenses are powered by AI—How to use them
What's the story
Snapchat has launched its first-ever video generative AI Lenses, powered by a generative video model developed internally.
The three new AI Video Lenses are available only to Snapchat Platinum users, the app's premium subscription tier costing $16 per month.
The launch comes after Snap showcased an AI video-generation tool at its Partner Summit last September, with a company rep confirming the new Lenses use advanced versions of the underlying tech.
Technological advancements
Snapchat's commitment to AI and AR
Snapchat, known for leading the Augmented Reality (AR) game, has been investing in artificial intelligence (AI) for the last few years.
The launch of these AI Video Lenses comes as part of Snap's effort to stay ahead and provide something unique that aren't available on rival platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Initially, three AI Video Lenses will be available, with weekly additions planned.
Lens details
First 3 AI video lenses: Raccoon, Fox, and Spring Flowers
The first three AI Video Lenses are called "Raccoon," "Fox," and "Spring Flowers."
While the Raccoon and Fox lenses animate furry friends cuddling up with you, the Spring Flowers lens creates a zoom-out effect revealing the person in your Snap holding a bouquet.
You can access these new Lenses via the Lens carousel on Snapchat's app.
User guide
How to use the new lenses
To use the new Lenses, users can choose a Lens from the carousel and take a Snap with either their front or back camera.
The AI video will then be created and saved to Memories automatically.
In a blog post, Snapchat said these lenses "bring some of the most cutting edge AI tools available today to Snapchatters through a familiar Lens format."
Future developments
Snapchat's future plans and in-house AI model
Snapchat has used AI tools from OpenAI and Google for some of its features in the past. But now, the company is also building its own in-house models.
Last month, Snap unveiled an AI text-to-image research model for mobile that will power some of Snapchat's features in the coming months.
By implementing this tech internally, Snap hopes to offer high-quality AI tools to its community at a lower operating cost.