Snapchat has made its “Imagine Lens,” the company’s first open-prompt artificial intelligence image generator, available for free to all users in the United States. The feature was initially launched in September exclusively for the platform’s paid subscribers.
The Imagine Lens enables users to edit their own Snaps or generate entirely new images by inputting custom text prompts. For example, a user could take a selfie and enter the prompt, “Turn me into an alien,” or request an image of a “grumpy cat.” The company suggests the tool can be used to experiment with Halloween costume ideas or to digitally reimagine a friend’s appearance. Once created, these images can be shared directly with friends, posted to a user’s Snapchat Story, or exported for use outside of the application.
This wider release of the AI Lens follows the introduction of AI video-generating applications from competitors Meta and OpenAI, which have introduced advanced tools aimed at a similar young demographic. Meta has launched Meta AI, while OpenAI developed Sora. These tools provide features beyond static photo modifications, increasing the competitive pressure within the social media landscape.
OpenAI’s Sora, for instance, allows users to generate videos of themselves after they provide a one-time video and audio recording to capture their appearance. These resulting AI personas are called “cameos” and can be shared among friends, enabling them to feature each other in collaboratively created videos. The presence of such advanced capabilities from competitors serves as a factor for other social apps like Snapchat to expand their own AI feature sets.
Prior to this update, access to the Imagine Lens was restricted to Lens+ and Snapchat Platinum subscribers. With the expanded availability, free users now receive a limited number of image generations. The initial free rollout is confined to the U.S. market, but the company has confirmed plans to expand to other markets, starting with Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.
To access the feature, users can find the Imagine Lens located near the front of the in-app Lens Carousel or by searching for it by name. To use the tool, an individual can tap the caption area to write a custom prompt or select from a list of preloaded suggestions for inspiration.
