A new way for brands to go viral: Snapchat introduces Sponsored AI Lenses

Snapchat is blending technological innovation with creativity through its latest offering, Sponsored AI Lenses—an inventive advertising format aimed at engaging Gen Z and younger audiences who enjoy immersive, interactive content. This new initiative is part of Snapchat’s continued evolution in generative AI, providing brands with a novel way to connect with users through personalized and playful digital experiences. Unlike standard ads, Sponsored AI Lenses enable users to take selfies and see themselves transformed into AI-generated scenes, turning traditional advertising into a form of entertainment.

These lenses operate using Snapchat’s proprietary generative AI technology, which analyzes a user’s selfie and merges it with various pre-designed visual environments. Each Sponsored AI Lens is equipped with preset prompts and facial expressions, allowing users to experiment with up to ten different AI-crafted looks during a single session. According to Snap, this approach significantly increases user interaction, offering a more engaging experience than conventional branded lenses.

For advertisers, the appeal of this new format goes beyond user engagement. Sponsored AI Lenses streamline the ad production process by eliminating the need for expensive 3D modeling or visual effects. Instead, brands can utilize AI-generated templates, which dramatically reduce the time and cost involved in creating high-quality, interactive content. This makes the format not only faster and more economical but also highly scalable for campaigns of various sizes.

Major brands such as Tinder and Uber have already adopted the new format in their marketing strategies. Tinder launched a campaign that used AI to transform user selfies into personalized images titled “My 2025 Dating Vibe,” while Uber introduced a seasonal twist with a Thanksgiving-themed lens. Both companies reportedly achieved higher-than-average engagement and user interaction time with these lenses.

This development aligns with Snapchat’s broader move into generative AI technologies. Following the release of generative AI video lenses and a text-to-image AI model tailored for mobile earlier this year, Sponsored AI Lenses mark another step forward in integrating advanced AI features into everyday user experiences on the platform.