Apps & Consumer
Snapchat launches AI Clips for Lens+ subscribers
Snapchat is launching AI Clips, a new Lens Studio feature that turns photos into five-second videos for Lens+ subscribers, as competition in generative AI video tools intensifies.
On Tuesday, Snapchat announced the launch of AI Clips within Lens Studio, its platform that lets creators design and publish augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) effects called Lenses. The new AI Clips format allows developers to transform a single photo into a five-second video. This feature is available to Snapchat users who are subscribed to Lens+, the company’s paid subscription service that provides access to exclusive Lenses and AR experiences. The Lens+ subscription costs $8.99 per month.
Unlike open-ended generative AI tools, AI Clips are designed as a closed-prompt experience. Under this model, Lens creators design the specific parameters of the Lens, and users can then tap it to generate a video from their own photos. For example, a creator could build a Lens that allows users to generate a video of themselves walking down a red carpet using their own photo. Snapchat says both experienced and new developers can use this format to turn a single prompt into a published Lens in minutes without needing external tools.
To support this, Snapchat is integrating the capability into its GenAI Suite, which is the toolset within Lens Studio for generative AI. The company noted that this marks the first time developers can build and publish photo-to-video AI directly to Snapchat from the GenAI Suite. Snapchat, the company behind the platform, stated, “There’s currently nothing else on the market that combines closed-prompt AI video generation with direct photo input, real distribution, and monetization.” Creators enrolled in Lens+ Payouts, Snapchat’s monetization program that allows developers to earn money from their Lenses, can earn revenue from the AI Clips they create.
The launch of AI Clips comes as competition in generative video tools intensifies among major platforms. Last week, YouTube announced it was rolling out “Reimagine,” a feature that lets users transform a single frame from an existing YouTube Short into an eight-second clip. This expansion also comes as Snapchat reports its user activity metrics. According to Snapchat, users created nearly two trillion Snaps in 2025, which averages to approximately 63,000 Snaps per second.
Why it matters
Snapchat is deepening its creator ecosystem by integrating generative AI directly into its monetization pipeline, forcing a direct comparison with competitors like YouTube in the race for AI-powered user engagement.