Snapchat Launches New AI Selfie Feature Called ‘Dreams’
Snapchat is launching its own new artificially intelligent (AI) selfie feature called “Dreams.”
Snapchat announced its new generative AI tool in a blog post on Tuesday. Dreams allows users to turn their selfies into fantastical portraits that “let them try on new identities — be it a mermaid in a deep-seascape, or a renaissance era royal.”
The company says Dreams is a technologically advanced take on Snapchat Lens that was introduced in September 2015 and allows users to add real-time effects into their photos — such as crying face and dog ears.
Dreams will be available in a user’s Snapchat camera roll, which can be accessed by clicking the tab “Dreams” in the Memories section of the app.
From there, a user can choose different AI-generated selfie creations. The first eight Dreams are free, with themed photos ranging from the Renaissance era to undersea creatures. However, after these initial eight photos, Dreams costs $1 as an in-app purchase
Dreams is being made available to Snapchat users in Australia and New Zealand slowly this week. This will followed by access opening up to the rest of the world over the coming weeks.
“We’ve always approached creating value for the Snapchat community by doing things that are playful, that are fun, [and] that are sometimes a little bit silly and a little bit weird,” Jack Brody, Snap’s VP of product, tells The Verge
“And I think Dreams really fits into that.”
According to The Verge, Dreams take about 30 minutes to generate. However, some images do not fully capture the user’s features as accurately as other photo apps based on similar AI technology.
In February, data suggested that the AI photo app trend, which was witnessed with the popularity of Lensa AI last year, may already be over.
However, the AI photo app appears to be regaining popularity again. Earlier this month, AI portrait app Miaoya took China by storm — charging users $1.40 to generate “shockingly accurate” photorealistic portraits. And AI photo app Loopsie went viral for its anime-style image generation feature.
Meanwhile, Generation Z were using AI photo app Remini to transform their selfies into professional headshots which led them to question why they would ever pay for a photographer instead.
Image credits: Header photo via Snapchat.
