Despite launching over a decade ago, Snapchat's continued success is a phenomenal story. This underdog app even made Facebook so concerned that the Zuckerberg-owned social media giant created a poor competitor. However, even the iconic ghost can’t escape AI.
As one of the best apps for iPhone and best apps for Android, Snapchat’s friend-first focus keeps it high on the App Store charts as one of the top free apps. Like most companies in 2024, Snapchat has been experimenting with AI over the past few years, including Snapchat's My AI, a competitor to the best AI chatbots right in your friends list.
It’s unavoidable to see the unnecessary AI "friend" in your list, especially if you and your buddies are trying to maintain the longest Snapchat streak. In fact, the launch of Snap Inc.'s AI chatbot prompted many people to try and delete My AI from their Snapchat friends list. However, the company is keen to bring more artificial intelligence to its app.
In a new blog post, Snapchat announced it is experimenting with new AR experiences powered by AI. While some of these include tools to help create various Lenses in Snapchat's Lens Studio 5.0, the most uncanny feature is undoubtedly the AI wallpaper.
A short clip shows three Snapchat employees applying the "50s sci-fi film" prompt to the AI wallpaper generator, resulting in a strange, constantly changing, and unattractive background. Despite many of the best AI image generators becoming more powerful each day, Snap Inc.'s upcoming tool looks remarkably disappointing, to say the least.
Faces and bodies appear muddied and distorted as the AI prompt attempts to keep up with the video. It looks unappealing, and while we see the appeal of asking Snapchat's My AI various questions, we’re not sure who will find this feature good enough—especially when bespoke, purposefully-created backgrounds will do a much better job.
In any case, it’s just another example of terrifying AI generations taking the world by storm. Recently, Star Trek and The Flash were marred by AI video generation, with Luma Dream Machine producing uncanny and soulless clips.