Snapchat makes its first open prompt AI Lens available for free in the US

Snapchat has announced the launch of its innovative “Imagine Lens,” a cutting-edge image-generation AI Lens now available for free to all users. Initially introduced in September, this feature was originally restricted to paid subscribers. With the Imagine Lens, users can personalize their Snaps by utilizing custom prompts or generating entirely new images.

For example, users can instruct the app to “turn me into an alien” following a selfie or request an image of a “grumpy cat.” The options are endless—Snapchat encourages exploring fun creativity by trying on Halloween costumes or reimagining a friend’s appearance, among many other possibilities.

The generated images can easily be shared with friends, posted to your Snapchat Story, or disseminated beyond the app itself.

The wider availability of this AI Lens comes in response to the recent emergence of competing AI video-generating apps by Meta (Meta AI) and OpenAI (Sora), which are attracting younger audiences with enhanced AI capabilities that go beyond just photo manipulation.

For instance, Sora allows users to create videos of themselves after submitting a one-time video and audio recording. These AI-generated personas, referred to as “cameos,” enable friends to collaborate and star in shared videos.

This competitive landscape puts pressure on platforms like Snapchat to innovate. By making the AI image Lens accessible to all users, Snapchat is strategically investing in its relevance within this burgeoning market.

Previously, the AI Lens was available exclusively to Lens+ and Snapchat Platinum Subscribers. With this recent update, Snap will offer a limited number of image generation capabilities to all users for free. Initially, the rollout will begin in the United States, with plans to expand to additional markets, including Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

To access the Lens, simply look for it at the top of the in-app Lens Carousel or search for it by name. Users can create custom prompts by tapping the caption to edit, or they can select from preloaded suggestions for added inspiration.

Snapchat reports that its users engage with Lenses over 8 billion times each day.