Snapchat Plus Offers AI-Generated Snaps & New Photo Extensions

The Snapchat white ghost logo on a bright yellow background.Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Snapchat is getting even more generative AI features. The messaging app now lets Snapchat Plus subscribers create images based on a text prompt and send them to friends.

Those who subscribe to Snapchat’s $3.99 plan can use the feature by tapping the “AI” button from the toolbar on the right side of the camera interface. This opens up a window where users can type a text prompt or choose from one of the premade options, like “a futuristic disco” or “a rocket preparing for liftoff.”

Image: Snap

From there, Snapchat’s AI will spit out an image based on the prompt, allowing users to edit it and add a message before sending it off to friends and family on the app. Snapchat is rolling out some other AI-powered perks for subscribers as well, including a way to make the subject of a photo appear farther away from the camera by using AI to fill in the background. Users can try the feature by taking a close-up, pressing the “crop” icon in the camera interface, and selecting “extend.”

There’s also a new way to use “Dreams” — Snapchat’s AI selfie feature that transforms photos based on specific themes — with photos containing friends. Snapchat Plus subscribers get access to one free pack of eight Dreams each month. All this adds to the flood of AI features Snapchat and other apps have added throughout the year. In addition to launching an AI chatbot for all users in April, Snapchat recently added a way for developers to create filters with ChatGPT.