Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, has made its "Imagine Lens" AI feature accessible to all users for free, initially in the United States. This expansion broadens the availability of the company's first open-prompt image-generation AI Lens, which previously required a paid subscription.
The "Imagine Lens" allows users to edit existing Snaps or generate new images using custom text prompts. Examples cited by the company include transforming a selfie into an alien or requesting an image of a "grumpy cat." The generated content can be shared with friends, posted to a user's Snapchat Story, or exported beyond the application, according to the official announcement.
Prior to this general rollout, the AI Lens was exclusively available to subscribers of Lens+ and Snapchat Platinum. Under the new policy, free users will have access to a limited number of image generations. Following the initial launch in the U.S., Snap has indicated plans for expansion into other markets, beginning with Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.
This strategic move by Snap comes as the social media platform navigates an evolving competitive landscape within AI-powered content creation. The broader availability of the "Imagine Lens" follows the introduction of AI video-generating applications such as Meta AI from Meta and Sora from OpenAI. These platforms offer advanced AI capabilities, including the generation of personalized videos and AI personas, intensifying competition for user engagement, particularly among younger demographics.
Snapchat data indicates that users access Lenses more than 8 billion times daily. The "Imagine Lens" can be located prominently within the in-app Lens Carousel or via direct search, allowing users to modify prompts or utilize preloaded suggestions for image creation.
