SnapChat Plays AI Catch-Up — Faces Formidable Competition From Google, Meta, and ChatGPT
Can SnapChat keep up in the AI race with Big Tech? | Credit: picture alliance / Getty Images.
Key Takeaways
- Snapchat is facing fierce competition from Big Tech in the AI race.
- In June 2023, the Information Commissioner’s Office investigated Snap’s My AI Chatbot.
- Businesses have embraced AI to enhance customer service, automate tasks, and personalize user experiences.
As AI evolves rapidly, tech giants are locked in fierce competition to stay ahead of the curve. Somewhere within that crowded race, Snapchat-owner Snap has been attempting to keep up.
From ChatGPT-inspired AI chatbots to augmented reality lenses, Snapchat has been actively competing in the AI space. However, it faces immense competition from the more robust AI offerings of larger companies.
My AI
In February 2023, Snapchat unveiled its AI-powered chatbot powered by OpenAI’s GPT technology.
The chatbot, named “My AI,” was launched to engage users in chat-like conversations, provide recommendations, assist with everyday tasks, and enhance user experience through personalized responses.
According to the company, the chatbot will learn more about the individual over time and eventually feel like a friend.
SnapChat shared a blog post outlining how the AI can offer various personalized suggestions. This includes recommending birthday gift ideas for close friends, planning long weekend hiking trips, and suggesting dinner recipes.
The release of My AI came on the back of the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which saw a significant rise in chatbot adoption across industries.
ChatGPT’s advanced conversational abilities demonstrated the potential of AI to engage users in natural, human-like dialogue, sparking widespread interest in integrating such technology.
However, despite the technology’s popularity and corresponding chatbots, regulators were quick to raise concerns over privacy and content moderation.
Snap AI Criticism
In June 2023, the Information Commissioner’s Office launched an investigation into Snap’s My AI Chatbot.
The ICO’s main concern was that the chatbot collected data on individuals aged between 13 and 17, the platform’s main demographic.
Snapchat took “significant” steps to review the risks associated with its “My AI” chatbot and “implemented appropriate mitigations.”
The investigation concluded in May 2024, with the ICO stating it was satisfied with the measures Snapchat had taken.
However, Stephen Almond, ICO Executive Director of Regulatory Risk, said this should be a “warning shot for industry.”
“Organizations developing or using generative AI must consider data protection from the outset, including rigorously assessing and mitigating risks to people’s rights and freedoms before bringing products to market,” he added.
Snap Playing AI Catch-Up
With new AI releases, Snapchat appears keen to position itself as a competitor in the AI race. However, compared to Meta, Google, and ChatGPT, Snapchat’s AI applications are more niche, focused mostly on improving AR features, content curation, and chatbot interactions.
While this appeals to its younger demographic, it lacks the broad, multi-faceted AI applications seen in other companies.
Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Google have accelerated chatbot developments, integrating GenAI into their own services, such as customer support, e-commerce, and productivity.
Businesses have quickly embraced chatbots and AI to enhance customer service, automate tasks, and personalize user experiences.
According to a November 2023 GlassDoor survey of 5,000 professionals, 43% said they had used ChatGPT or similar AI tools at work.
This trend has reshaped how companies interact with customers, making chatbots a standard tool for real-time, scalable communication.
Despite Snapchat continuing its attempts to innovate with AI products, it is struggling to keep up with Meta, Google, and OpenAI, whose AI stronghold makes it hard for any other players to squeeze in.
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