Snapchat Adds Generative AI Lenses, Longer Video Uploads and More

Snapchat is rolling out a range of new creative and collaborative options to provide more ways to connect in the app.

And while none of them are revolutionary shifts in Snap engagement, as such, there are some interesting tools to consider for your future in-app updates.

First off, Snap’s rolling out new AI powered Lenses, which will provide more capacity to edit and customize your visuals.

As you can see in this example, Snap’s new AI Lenses will enable you to convert your images based on different themes.

As explained by Snap:

“Lenses have long been a part of our everyday camera experience and new AI lenses are introducing limitless possibilities. We’ve added a new advanced AI-powered Lens that lets you drop into a festive theme with just a tap, and look out for more themes and styles coming soon.”

That could be a good way to integrate generative AI beyond its “My AI” chatbot. In some ways. its actually similar to its “Dreams” AI element, which enables you to convert your pictures into imagined landscapes, though this variation is more closely integrated into the regular Snap experience.

And when you also consider that, on average, 300 million Snapchatters engage with AR every day, that’s a lot of potential for Snap to integrate AI in a creative, engaging way.

On another front, Snap’s also adding new “Templates” which will make it easier to create highlight videos based on your shared Memories.

The process brings together snapshots of your Memories, which you can set to music, providing another way to re-use your clips.

Snap’s also extending its video length limits:

“You can now create longer videos (up to three minutes) and upload longer videos (up to five minutes) for Chats, Stories and Spotlight.”

That is a significant change, for Spotlight in particular, which up till now has had a 60 second length limit. Snapchat’s general upload limit has long been 60 seconds overall, though some users have noticed that they’ve been able to record longer clips of late.

But essentially, there are variable limits between what you can record in the Snap camera, and what you can upload from your camera roll, which will facilitate more capacity for longer videos in the app.

Snapchat’s also looking to update its UI so that the Snap camera is easier to access throughout the app.

And for paying users, Snap’s also got some Snapchat+ updates, with subscribers now able to create combined avatar displays in Friendship Profiles, and more realistic Bitmoji depictions of their pets.

“Just upload a photo of your pet through Snap Map, and our AI tool will automatically create a unique avatar that stays by your side on the Map.” 

Which seems a bit gimmicky, but you can also imagine that a lot of Snap users will love it.

Up till now, Snapchat+ subscribers have been able to add virtual depictions of pets in the app, but this will make it a more reflective representation of their actual real-life furry (or feathered) friend.

As noted, most of these aren’t major shifts, as such, but they do add to the capacity to create on Snap, and will be highly valuable to some users.

Really, the video length limit is the only potentially major change, because if that catches on, that could have a significant behavioral impact. It remains to be seen, however, if Snap users really want longer videos in the app.