Video Gen AI Lenses, a new form of popular AR Lens feature has been launched by Snapchat where there are custom animations which are aligned with your video clips. With Snap AI Video Lenses, users would be able to take a video and use the Snap system fill in animation for aligning with the clip.
So this is how it works, first you need to select the Lens which you require and then there will be three video gen AI lenses to start off with – Fox, Raccoon and Spring Flowers. You need to capture a Snap and then submit it for processing. The SnapChat system would animate the Snap with chosen effect, give custom version of the Lens effect and after processing it would be made available in the memories collection.
It is very much similar to regular Lenses but has a more personalized touch built by AI. It won’t be available to all users at the time of launch and as of now would only be available to SnapChat+ Platinum subscribers only.
Snapchat+ Platinum is the top priced version of Snapchat+ subscription option where users are paying $15.99 per month for ad free Snap experience. The ad free option has been available for quite some time but Snap changed the name to Platinum so users were not aware about its top priced package. It is trying to build upon the success of Snapchat+ which has around 14 million paying subscribers by implementation of more expensive and exclusive version of its paid add on service.
This rollout came after competition intensified from Meta and Open AI where both of them have come up with AI video generation tools aimed at youth. Sora from Open AI lets users create short videos which features digital versions of themselves by making use of one-time video and audio inputs whereas Meta has been including Meta AI features in its social platform suite.
For example, user will be able to ask the app to turn them into alien after taking a selfie or request fun concepts. This feature can also help users to try out Halloween costume ideas or carry out experimentation with new looks. After generation, the results can be shared directly with friends, posted on Stories or can be distributed beyond the app.
This is seen as a strategic move by Snapchat to keep pace with rival apps which have been offering advanced generative tools. It stated that limited number of image generations would be available to all users at no extra cost. After US launch, rollouts are being planned in Great Britain, Canada and Australia.
Imagine Lens is now accessible from Lens Carousel within the app or can be found by searching its name. Users will now be able to type their prompts and choose from preloaded suggestions for seeking inspiration.
As per Snapchat, users have been interacting with Lens for more than 8 billion times per day which underscore its central role in the popularity of the platform.
AI Lens was earlier limited to Lens+ and Snapchat Platinum subscribers but now a simplified version with limited image options has been made available to all free users in the US. It is also planning to expand its access to other regions which includes Great Britain, Canada and Australia.
This Lens can be found near the front of the in-app Lens Carousel. For generation of an image, users simply need to tap on the prompt action and input request or choose from preloaded suggestions. This move is aimed at keeping users engaged with innovative features and staying competitive in the quickly evolving AI driven social media landscape.
So does it look that AI video Lenses would get more people to pay up? Yes, it seems that more people would pay up for this feature as of now.
