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

Snapchat is making its new “Imagine Lens,” the company’s first open prompt image-generation AI lens, available to all users for free. The lens was initially launched in September but only for paying customers. With Lens, users can edit their own snaps using custom prompts or create their own.

For example, you can prompt the app to “turn me into an alien” after taking a selfie, or request an image of an “angry cat.” The company suggests you can use the lens to try out Halloween costume ideas, or reimagine your friend in a new look, among other things.

Results can be shared with friends, posted to your story on Snapchat, or shared outside of the app.

The wider availability of AI lenses follows the launch of AI video-generating apps from Meta (Meta AI) and OpenAI (Sora), which compete for young people’s attention with more advanced AI tools and features than photo manipulation.

For example, Sora allows users to create their own videos After providing the app with a one-time video and audio recording to capture their appearance. Friends can share these AI personas, called “cameos,” with each other, so they can star in videos together.

This puts pressure on other social apps like Snapchat, so using AI Image Lens for free seems like a worthwhile investment for app makers.

Until now, Snapchat’s AI Lens was only available to Lens+ and Snapchat Platinum subscribers, the company says. Along with the extended rollout, Snap is making a limited number of Image Generations available to all free users. At launch, users in the US will be able to access the new lens for free, with plans for other markets starting with Canada, Great Britain and Australia.

The lens is available near the front of the in-app lens carousel, or you can search for it by name. Tap the caption to create, edit your prompt, or use one of the preloaded suggestions if you need inspiration.

The company notes that Snapchat users access Lens more than 8 billion times per day.