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Snapchat has added a fun new AI activation for the holidays new “Animate It” lens now available to paying Snap users.
As you can see in this example, Snapchat’s new Video AI Lens lets you trigger an animation in your Snaps via text prompts. So you can ask it to add a cat clawing at your face, and the Lens will give you a custom animation that looks mostly like a cat, but also a bit like something from The Polar Express.
As explained by Snap:
“Available to Lens+ subscribers, the Animate It Lens uses Snap’s internally developed AI video generation model to turn your ideas into short, shareable videos in seconds. Whether you want to animate a response, create a mini-movie or turn a playful idea into a dynamic clip, Animate It lets you create movement from pure imagination.”
It’s interesting that this is based on Snap’s internal AI video generation model, which Snapchat has largely relied on until now external AI tools to enhance AI functions. My AI, for example, uses large language models from OpenAI and Google to handle text-based searches.
The addition of its own custom AI model suggests that Snap is building its own AI tools, but without a significant data infrastructure it will be difficult for Snap to go it alone with any AI project.
The new lens is essentially an extension of the first video AI lenses that Snapchat launched in March, which feature custom animations of select characters or objects that can be added to any clip.
In this application, you choose from one of several options (raccoon, fox, spring flowers), and Snap’s gen AI engine will then animate your clip with your chosen addition.
So it’s less customizable, with your options limited by certain objects, unlike this new variant, which lets you add whatever you want, based on your prompt.
How capable the system is will be interesting to note, again given Snap’s limited AI capabilities, but it could be a nice addition that will help Snap boost engagement this holiday season.
Animate is available for Lens+ subscribers.
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