Snap launches AI tools for advanced augmented reality; see details

Snapchat, the popular social media platform owned by Snap, is taking its augmented reality (AR) capabilities to the next level with the launch of its latest generative AI technology. This groundbreaking advancement will allow users to experience more realistic and immersive special effects when using their phone cameras to film themselves.

Snap has long been a leader in the field of AR, which overlays digital effects onto real-world imagery. While the company remains smaller than giants like Meta, it's betting that these enhanced special effects, called lenses, will attract new users and advertisers to Snapchat.

The new AI-powered lenses are being made available to AR developers, who can now create more sophisticated and whimsical experiences for Snapchat users to incorporate into their content.

Snap has also announced a major upgrade to its developer program, Lens Studio, which provides artists and developers with the tools to create AR features not only for Snapchat but also for other websites and apps.

Bobby Murphy, Snap's chief technology officer, highlighted the significant improvements in Lens Studio, stating, "What's fun for us is that these tools both stretch the creative space in which people can work, but they're also easy to use, so newcomers can build something unique very quickly."

The enhanced Lens Studio now includes a suite of generative AI tools, including an AI assistant to answer developer queries. Additionally, a new tool enables artists to generate 3D images directly from text prompts, eliminating the need for manual modelling.

This advancement marks a significant leap forward in AR technology. Earlier versions could only handle simple effects, like adding a hat to a video. With the new AI-powered tools, developers can now create more realistic lenses, making the hat seamlessly move with the person's head and adapt to the video's lighting conditions.

Snap is also exploring full-body AR experiences, aiming to generate realistic outfits and other effects, which have been incredibly challenging to achieve until now.