Snapchat has rolled out a new feature, Imagine Lens, giving paying subscribers the ability to generate and edit images directly from written prompts.
The tool is exclusive to Snapchat+ Platinum and Lens+ members.
Unlike earlier effects, Imagine Lens is the first within the app that works with fully open prompts. Users can type instructions ranging from casual edits to more complex creations, such as “turn me into an alien” or “create an image of a grumpy cat.”
The Lens also comes with preset options, including “Turn me into a four to five panel comic where something unexpected but heroic happens” and “Make this person skydive.”
Subscribers can find the tool at the front of the Lens Carousel or in the Exclusive section. After choosing it, they can tap the caption bar to enter or refine a prompt. The subscription costs $15.99 a month for Platinum and $8.99 for Lens+.
This release follows a series of product updates as Snap pushes deeper into artificial intelligence and augmented reality. In recent months, the company introduced its first video-based generative Lenses and launched Lens Studio apps for iOS and the web, allowing creators to design AR features more easily.
Commenting on the launch, Snap said: “With the Imagine Lens, Snapchatters can create, edit, and recreate Snaps simply by entering their own prompts, then seamlessly share them with friends, post to their Story, or outside of Snapchat.”
More than 400 million users have already experimented with generative tools on Snapchat, producing over four billion creations, according to the company. Imagine Lens is Snap’s strategy to strengthen its drive in immersive media while offering premium features to subscribers.
