Snapchat is rolling out a suite of innovative updates aimed at enhancing user experience and empowering creators, revealed during the sixth annual Snap Partner Summit on September 17.
New AI Tools for Creators
Among the most anticipated announcements is the introduction of an AI video generation tool, Snap AI Video, designed to help creators produce videos from text prompts. Currently in beta, the Snap AI Video tool is available to a limited group of users on the web. Built on the company’s proprietary video models, it incorporates safeguards to prevent the creation of harmful content. Each AI-generated video will be marked with a watermark to distinguish it from user-generated content.
Enhanced Capabilities of My AI Assistant
In addition to the video tool, Snapchat is upgrading its generative AI assistant, My AI, which now features enhanced capabilities to interpret complex Snaps. Users will be able to snap photos of text in foreign languages, and My AI will translate them, making communication easier across barriers.
New Features for Premium Subscribers
The platform is also introducing a new ‘My Selfie’ feature, allowing premium subscribers to make AI-powered edits to their Memories, adding captions and Lenses to existing Snaps. An exciting AI-powered Lens will let users visualize their future selves, reminiscent of the popular TikTok old-age filter. Furthermore, users can opt to appear in AI-generated images alongside their friends, opening up new avenues for creative expression.
Improved User Privacy and Profile Management
Snapchat is also enhancing user privacy and profile management. Users aged 16 and older will now have the ability to toggle between personal and public accounts, controlling their profile visibility to either approved friends or a wider audience. This change aims to simplify user interaction and organization, focusing on the core functionalities of communication, photography, and entertainment.
New Interactive Features and Collaborations
The platform will soon unveil new interactive features, including a Lip Syncing Lens that enables users to lip sync to thousands of tracks from its Sounds library. Additionally, the NYX Beauty Bestie Lens has been upgraded with generative AI to provide personalized beauty recommendations.
Snap has introduced a new initiative, the Snap Star Collab Studio, designed to facilitate partnerships between content creators and brands by allowing creators to share engagement metrics and demographic insights. The number of creators posting publicly has surged, tripling over the past year, and Snapchat boasts a global user base exceeding 850 million, with a significant portion being users aged 18 and older.
As Snapchat continues to innovate, these updates reflect the company’s commitment to enhancing user experience and supporting its vibrant community of creators.
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