Snapchat to launch “Dreams” AI selfie feature but we’ve seen it before

Snapchat is planning to introduce an AI-generated selfie feature named Dreams, which is due to roll out to users across the globe. But, it all feels a little bit too late.

AI has been all the hype, with image generators like Adobe Firefly, Stable Diffusion, and more generating a ton of buzz. However, last year, Lensa came to the forefront, offering users a way to stylize their own selfies through the use of AI tools. Now, Meta-owned Snapchat is looking to do the same, with a feature named “Dreams”.

Revealed to The Verge, Dreams is accessible in a segment of Snapchat named “Memories”. Here, users will soon be able to upload several selfies of their faces at different angles, and then generate eight photos based on them, powered by AI. You can select a theme for the photo pack, with the example given by The Verge as “Fantasy”.

The results are pretty similar to what you would see with the Lensa app, which went viral in 2022. But, the difference here is that since the AI has specific angles of your face, it might look a little bit more accurate than Lensa’s output. It seems like you cannot create your own prompts for the outputs, either.

Snap plans to make your first pack of AI-selfies free, with each subsequent pack costing $1 as an in-app purchase.

When is Snapchat “Dreams” AI selfies feature launching?

Unsplash.com: Thought Catalog

According to The Verge, Snapchat’s “Dreams” AI selfies feature will launch starting today for users in Australia and New Zealand, with users worldwide getting the feature in the coming weeks.

Snap claims that all of its generated art styles are created internally by Snap employees, ensuring that no artist’s toes are stepped on as a part of the generation process. The report also states that “Sponsored Dreams” are also in the works, which means that you might be able to turn yourself into a Marve Superhero or other pop culture icons, subject to licensing agreements, and companies agreeing to get their feet wet with AI-generated imagery.

The examples given were nothing especially mindblowing, we’ve seen pretty much all before, so we can’t help but wonder if Snap might be too late to the party for this particular feature.