18-6-2024 (SANTA MONICA) In a move aimed at staying ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving social media landscape, Snap, the parent company of the popular messaging app Snapchat, has unveiled its latest iteration of generative AI technology. This cutting-edge innovation promises to elevate the augmented reality (AR) experience for users, allowing them to witness more realistic and immersive special effects when filming themselves using their phone cameras.
As a pioneer in the field of AR, which seamlessly overlays computerized effects onto photos or videos of the real world, Snap has long been at the forefront of innovation. Continuing this tradition, the company has also announced an upgraded version of its developer program, dubbed Lens Studio, empowering artists and developers to create AR features not only for Snapchat but also for other websites and applications.
Snapchat users can look forward to experiencing these advanced AR special effects, known as lenses, in the coming months, as the company continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of augmented reality.
Bobby Murphy, Snap’s chief technology officer, underscored the significance of the enhanced Lens Studio, stating that it would reduce the time required to create AR effects from weeks to mere hours, while also enabling the production of more complex and intricate works.
“What’s fun for us is that these tools both stretch the creative space in which people can work, but they’re also easy to use, so newcomers can build something unique very quickly,” Murphy said in an interview, highlighting the platform’s accessibility and user-friendly nature.
The revamped Lens Studio now includes a suite of generative AI tools, designed to streamline the creative process and empower developers and artists alike. One such tool is an AI assistant that can answer questions and provide guidance if a developer encounters any challenges along the way. Additionally, a groundbreaking tool will allow artists to type a prompt and automatically generate a three-dimensional image that can be seamlessly integrated into their AR lens, eliminating the need to develop a 3D model from scratch.
Snap’s ambitions extend beyond mere facial AR experiences, as Murphy revealed plans to create full-body AR experiences, such as generating entirely new outfits – a feat that is currently incredibly challenging to achieve.
