Snapchat is a social media platform where users share pictures and 10-second video clips that are deleted after a limited period. The app has been popular since its launch in 2011, with over 210 million active users. However, Snapchat has expanded beyond just a media sharing platform; it has announced a new feature called My AI.
My AI is Snapchat’s machine learning tool that makes creating augmented reality lenses more natural and more accessible. The AI tool has enabled Snapchatters to create Lenses that are more interactive, dynamic, and reactive to the world around them. In essence, My AI is an intelligence layer that functions on top of Snapchat’s augmented reality tools. It uses machine learning to give Lenses the ability to “see” and “understand” the real world, recognizing what’s in front of the camera and then reacting or transforming it digitally.
Here’s everything you need to know about My AI – how it works and why it’s so important for Snapchat.
How Does My AI Work?
My AI works by analyzing the environment the camera “sees” through the phone to produce augmented reality effects that interact with the real world. The technology is different from previous iterations of Lenses that were more straightforward, with limited movement or interactivity. My AI operates on a neural network, where information from over one million data points is fed into the system. This data is then used to make predictions, which can be deployed to create unique Lenses.
When you open Snapchat, the camera system begins to process the visual information of the world around you and sends it through the neural network. The My AI system then determines what is happening in the scene, recognizing objects like people or pets, and uses that information to create a compelling, reactive Lens.
The models for My AI have been trained on hundreds of thousands of images, which have taught it to detect and identify objects in the real world.
My AI offers real-time, interactive effects that react to the environment around the user. For example, you could stick bunny ears on your pet, or add a pirate hat and eye patch to a friend’s face. The AI tool knows how to overlay these objects with precision which is captured in real-time, making it seem like a natural part of the image.
My AI Experiences: The What and How
The experiences created by My AI are similar to the Lenses currently available on Snapchat, but with more interactivity and realism. This approach moves away from the “post-editing” style of AR and leans more toward instant, real-time AR effects that interconnect with the world around you.
For example, you could create a Lens that recognizes a specific location or object and presents an augmented reality game that interacts with it. You could also use My AI to provide a tour of a museum or a guide to an exhibit in a gallery.
One of the most important aspects of My AI is that it allows creators to develop more complex AR Lenses with ease. Traditionally, the process of developing an AR Lens was time-consuming and required detailed technical knowledge, but My AI simplifies the process and enables faster, more intuitive development. This feature has been instrumental in allowing a wider range of creators to participate more fully in the AR content space on Snapchat.
Why it Matters
Leveraging very sophisticated computer vision technologies, including machine learning, Snapchat’s My AI is radically changing the terms of the game for the creative augmented reality space. It not only helps producers create more complex and interactive Lenses but also makes it more accessible to a broader audience of creators, delivering on Snapchat’s vision to empower users to make it their platform. As the creative capacity keeps increasing, Snapchat will remain at the forefront of the social media scene.