Snapchat launches an AI chatbot powered by OpenAI’s GPT technology

OpenAI’s GPT technology, customized for Snapchat users. My AI has a unique voice and personality that plays into Snapchat’s values about “friendship, learning and fun,” and can do things like help answer a trivia question, recommend birthday gift ideas for a friend, suggest a recipe for dinner, or even write a haiku. The chatbot is pinned to the top of the Chat tab and is available as an experimental feature for Snapchat+’s $3.99 per month subscription service.

Snapchat notes that My AI, like all AI-powered chatbots, can be tricked into saying just about anything and has “many deficiencies.” However, it has been trained to adhere to the app’s trust and safety guidelines, and conversations with the chatbot will be stored and may be reviewed to improve the product’s experience.

While My AI is not meant to act as a search engine like Microsoft’s Bing, it’s instead seen as a persona within Snapchat that users can chat with like they would with their friends. Snapchat believes that AI can be incredibly additive to the app’s experience, while also helping to foster deeper connections over time. In the short term, My AI may boost the company’s paid subscriber numbers, which recently surpassed the two million mark.