Snap Inc, the social media company headquartered in Santa Monica, California, has made its advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system, My AI, available to all users of its popular Snapchat app for free. With a monthly user base of over 750 million, this move is expected to have a significant impact on the way people use the platform.
The company’s decision to provide access to its AI technology at no cost is a major step towards democratizing cutting-edge technology, making it accessible to a broader audience. This move is also expected to give Snapchat an edge over its competitors in the social media space, as the app’s users can now benefit from the advanced features and capabilities offered by My AI.
In February 2023, when Snap Inc initially launched its My AI chatbot for premium users, CEO Evan Spiegel had emphasized that the company’s vision was to integrate cutting-edge technology into the Snapchat app. My AI was just one of the many advancements Snap had planned to bring to its platform, with more in the works.
How does My AI on Snapchat work?
Some Features of Snapchat My AI
Friendly chatbot –
My AI is a friendly and experimental chatbot available to Snapchatters. It can answer trivia questions, offer gift advice, help plan trips, and suggest dinner ideas. Snapchatters can give My AI a nickname and inform it about their likes and dislikes.
Personalized content –
My AI uses content shared with it and city-level location to personalize the user’s experience, including ads. Snap’s employees have trained My AI to adhere to the company’s trust and safety guidelines and avoid responding with swearing, violence, sexually explicit content, or opinions on controversial topics like politics.
Natural persona –
One of the key features of My AI on Snapchat is its personable nature. Unlike traditional search engines, My AI is designed to feel like a real friend. Its profile page looks just like any other Snapchat user’s profile, complete with its own unique Bitmoji.
Users can even give My AI a nickname and share their likes and dislikes, helping to further personalize their interactions.
Storage of conversation –
My AI stores conversations until the user decides to delete them, allowing users to revisit past conversations and pick up where they left off. The more users interact with My AI, the better it gets to know them, their likes and dislikes, and preferences, enabling it to offer personalized recommendations and relevant responses that enhance the user experience.
How to delete My AI data from Snapchat?
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to delete data from My AI:
- Open Snapchat on your device.
- Tap on your Profile icon on the screen.
- Tap on the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner of the screen to access Settings.
- Scroll down to “Privacy Controls”.
- Tap on “Clear Data”.
- Select “Clear My AI Data” from the options provided.
- Confirm that you want to delete your My AI data.
Following these steps will delete all past conversations you have had with My AI and any information it may have stored about you. It is important to note that you should only delete content if you are sure you no longer need it, as once it’s deleted, it cannot be retrieved.
Snapchat’s implementation of OpenAI’s latest GPT-3.5 model, called My AI, is a significant step for the company towards leveraging AI to enhance user experience and potentially generate new revenue streams.
Despite the potential risks associated with large language models, Snap’s approach to using AI as a persona rather than a tool could give the company an edge in the chatbot market. Unlike larger players such as Google and Meta, Snap has the opportunity to capitalize on My AI’s success with its loyal user base and potentially expand into new markets.
While OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 model currently powers My AI, Snapchat is likely to seek out other LLMs that can complement or enhance the capabilities of My AI. Snapchat’s move to incorporate LLMs from other vendors could potentially improve the accuracy and relevance of My AI’s responses to users. It could also enable Snapchat to offer a wider range of features and functionalities through the chatbot.
The availability of My AI to all Snapchat users could have a significant impact on the social media sector. By leveraging AI to provide a more personalized and engaging experience, Snap could set a new standard for chatbots in the industry.