Even though some people think Snapchat is on its way out, the app is still attracting a good number of active users.
Acknowledging past shortcomings in the use of machine learning, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel announced a new, firm strategy for integrating AI and machine learning technologies into its services, largely a departure from its longstanding focus on revising its advertising approach.
In an interview BloombergSpiegel emphasized the need to improve their machine learning capabilities to reach cutting-edge standards. “We needed to improve that and get some of our most senior machine learning people together so we could talk about what it would look like to reach the cutting edge and really invest in that,” he said.
Soon after, Snap introduced its latest generative AI technology, which allows phone cameras to create more lifelike lenses — features on the app that allow you to transform into a dog or have giant bug eyes while recording videos and taking photos. Snapchat hopes this change will help it compete more effectively with other social media platforms.
Snap has been a pioneer in augmented reality (AR) technology, which superimposes digital effects on real-world images or videos. Although Snap still operates in the shadow of bigger rivals like Meta, the company is making significant bets on more sophisticated and, frankly, more fun AR lenses. They hope these will attract new users and advertisers to the Snapchat platform.
The company also revealed that AR developers can now create AI-powered lenses, and Snapchatters will be able to use these lenses widely in their content. Additionally, Snap announced a new version of its developer program: Lens Studio. This more advanced version of the software, introduced late last year, initially allowed creators to build their own AR experiences for Snapchat. Now, it's expanded to websites and other apps.
Snap CTO Bobby Murphy said that with the improved Lens Studio, the time needed to create an AR effect will be dramatically reduced from weeks to minutes or hours, and it will also facilitate the development of more sophisticated work. “The fun thing for us is that these tools not only expand the creative space in which people can work, but they are also easy to use, so newbies can create something unique very quickly,” Murphy explained in an interview. Reuters,
The new Lens Studio includes a set of generative AI tools, such as an AI assistant that can answer developers' questions if they need help. Another tool allows artists to type a prompt and automatically create a three-dimensional image they can use for their AR lenses, eliminating the need to develop 3D models from scratch.
Early AR technologies only allowed users to perform simple tasks, such as placing a hat on someone's head in a video. However, according to Murphy, Snap's improvements will make it difficult to tell if a digital hat is actually being worn, with the hat moving seamlessly with the person's movements and the lighting on the hat perfectly matching the video.
Snap also plans to eventually create AR lenses that will cover everything from your head to your toes — not just your face. Murphy said it's too difficult for individuals to create a new wardrobe right now. Through its generative AI capabilities, Snapchat will offer advanced AR experiences to differentiate itself from its peers and attract new users, even if it struggles to acquire users relative to its scale compared to giants like Meta.
See also: NVIDIA presents latest advancements in visual AI
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