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AI-generated selfies are coming to Snapchat. What to know before you opt in

Snapchat Dreams turns your selfies into AI-generated portraits for an additional price -- and it's not just monetary.
Written by Jada Jones, Associate Editor
Snapchat on phone
SOPA Images/Contributor/Getty Images

Snapchat is releasing another app feature that harnesses generative AI technology: Snapchat Dreams. Dreams is an AI selfie feature in the user's Snapchat camera roll, which is in the Memories section.

When a user takes a few selfies, Snapchat will offer eight themed photos, ranging from the Renaissance era to undersea creatures. Snapchat says Dreams is a technologically advanced take on Snapchat Lenses. This feature highly popularized photo filters that gave users digital features like flower crowns, dog ears, and comically large heads.

Also: Do you use Snapchat's AI bot? Here's the data they're pulling from you

The first eight Dreams are free, then users will have to purchase a Dream for $1 each via in-app purchase. Dreams are available to Snapchat users in Australia and New Zealand, and Snapchat says the feature will be available to users in other countries in the coming weeks.

Before creating a Dream, users must agree to Snapchat's Terms of Service. By agreeing to these terms, users agree to give Snapchat and its affiliates unrestricted and irrevocable rights to the images of you and your likeness from your AI Selfies.

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According to The Verge, Dreams take about 30 minutes to generate, and some pictures don't fully capture the user's features as accurately as other AI selfie tools like Lensa AI.

Jack Brody, Snap's VP of product, told The Verge, "We've always approached creating value for the Snapchat community by doing things that are playful, that are fun, [and] that are sometimes a little bit silly and a little bit weird."

Also: New 'BeFake' social media app encourages users to transform their photos with AI 

Snapchat Dreams comes when many social media platforms are experimenting with AI selfies. BeFake is an AI selfie generator that is the antithesis of the social media app it parodies, BeReal.

BeFake encourages users to turn their selfies into AI-generated images to share with friends. Like Dreams, BeFake takes a few minutes to generate the AI selfies and requires payment for additional AI-generated images.

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