Snapchat Launches Free AI Lens in the US

Snapchat Opens Access to its AI Image Generator

Snapchat is now offering its “Imagine Lens,” the platform’s inaugural open-prompt image-generation AI Lens, to all users without charge. Initially released in September, access was previously restricted to paying subscribers.

This Lens empowers users to modify existing Snaps using personalized prompts, or to create entirely new images from scratch.

How the Imagine Lens Works

Users can input requests like “Turn me into an alien” following a selfie, or simply ask for an image of a “grumpy cat.”

Snapchat suggests utilizing the Lens for brainstorming Halloween costume concepts or visualizing friends with altered appearances, among numerous other possibilities.

Generated images can be readily shared with contacts, published to a user’s Snapchat Story, or disseminated across other platforms.

Competition and Market Trends

The expanded availability of the AI Lens arrives alongside the introduction of AI video-generating applications from competitors like Meta (Meta AI) and OpenAI (Sora).

These competing platforms are vying for the attention of younger demographics with increasingly sophisticated AI tools and functionalities, extending beyond simple photo editing.

For example, Sora enables users to generate videos featuring themselves, based on a single video and audio recording used to capture their likeness.

These personalized AI representations, termed “cameos,” can be shared among friends, allowing them to appear together in videos.

Strategic Implications for Snapchat

This competitive landscape places pressure on social applications like Snapchat to innovate.

Consequently, providing free access to the AI image Lens appears to be a strategic investment for the company.

Previously, the AI Lens was exclusive to Lens+ and Snapchat Platinum subscribers.

Now, Snap is extending a limited number of image generations to all free users, with availability potentially varying based on location, capacity, and other variables.

Regional Rollout and Accessing the Lens

Initially, free users in the United States will gain access to the new Lens, with subsequent expansion planned for Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

The Lens can be located prominently within the in-app Lens Carousel, or by searching for it directly by name.

To begin creating, users can tap the caption to refine their prompt, or select from a range of preloaded suggestions for inspiration.

Usage Statistics and Technology

Snapchat reports that its users engage with Lenses over 8 billion times daily.

The platform’s AI Lenses are powered by a combination of internally developed models and those sourced from leading industry providers.

This article has been updated to include details regarding the number of free generations available within the Imagine Lens.