X
Business
Why you can trust ZDNET : ZDNET independently tests and researches products to bring you our best recommendations and advice. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Our process

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.

Close

How to get rid of My AI on Snapchat for good

Are you tired of Snapchat's chatbot? Here's how to limit what My AI knows about you. Want to delete it for good? There's just one catch.
Written by Sabrina Ortiz, Editor
Reviewed by Min Shin
My AI Snapchat
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

Ever since Snap added its My AI chatbot to Snapchat -- more than a year ago now -- users have resisted My AI because of its inescapable presence and unsettling comments. Many users -- like myself --  want to see the chatbot gone for good.

Snap's chatbot doesn't offer any useful functionality; rather, it pops up while you are chatting with someone on Snapchat or sits at the top of your Chat list without serving any real purpose.

Also: Do you use Snapchat's AI chatbot? Here's the data it's pulling from you

Sure, you can chat with it to get some AI insights, such as dining recommendations and real-world information, and -- as of May -- you can also have it set reminders or countdowns within the app. Even with these functionalities, however, My AI doesn't seem to bring enough value to justify an AI "friend" sitting in on all your chats.

Since Snap doesn't seem likely to get rid of My AI anytime soon, here are some ways you can limit your interactions with it on Snapchat -- or eliminate it altogether.

How to remove Snapchat's My AI

1. Block My AI from watching your Snapchat Stories

Snapchat MyAI stories feature
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

If you are creeped out by the very idea of My AI, you'll probably be even more alarmed to find out that, by default, My AI can watch your Snapchat Stories.

Although Snap hasn't directly stated that My AI watches your stories, a toggle button under My AI's privacy settings reveals it can access them.

Also: How to use ChatGPT (and how to access GPT-4o)

The chatbot likely has access to your stories to provide more catered responses, as Snap says, "Content shared with My AI, including your location if you've shared that with Snapchat, will be used by My AI to provide relevant and useful responses to your requests, including nearby place recommendations." 

To turn off access to your stories, go to the Chats tab, tap and hold the My AI banner, click on Privacy Settings, and toggle off "My story." 

2. Delete your data from My AI

My AI data
Screenshot by Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

My AI saves all your data from interactions with you until you delete it yourself. To delete past content, tap the Profile Icon, scroll down to Privacy Controls, tap Clear Data, and tap Clear My AI Data. 

Also: What does GPT stand for? Understanding GPT 3.5, GPT 4, GPT-4o, and more

Note that your content won't be deleted right away. Even after clearing your data, Snap warns that "it can take up to 30 days to delete the relevant My AI data from Snapchat servers."

To delete data about a specific conversation you had with My AI, you will have to delete the conversation with the user where My AI was mentioned by long pressing on the individual conversation.

3. Delete My AI permanently by buying a SnapChat+ membership

Snapchat+
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

Snap seems to know how much users hate My AI and has decided to capitalize on it. Currently, the only way to unpin or remove My AI is with a Snapchat+ membership.

The membership is $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year and offers exclusive features, including experimental, pre-release features, custom app icons, chat wallpapers, and custom story expiration.

Also: The best AI chatbots

If you choose this route, removing My AI for good is straightforward and no more complicated than removing any other chat. All you have to do is hold My AI in Chat, tap Chat Settings, and Tap "Clear from Chat Feed."

Editorial standards