Snapchat‘s fifth annual Partner Summit Keynote opened with a video that posed the question, “What if we could literally see more?” It was a fitting introduction to Snap’s latest developments, which aim to take the human experience to the next level. The company’s CEO, Evan Spiegel, announced that My AI, the innovative chatbot that was previously exclusive to Snapchat+ subscribers, is now available for free to all of the app’s 750 million monthly active users. Not only that, but My AI can now send and receive its own Snapchats.
Snap is also investing heavily in music, with Snap head of talent development Brooke Berry discussing how musicians are growing their fan bases through the app. The Snapchat Sounds Creator Fund, introduced last summer, is helping musicians in the United States and India monetize their growth. At the Keynote, Snap announced that it is doubling down on augmented reality (AR) in music. Carolina Arguelles Navas, Snap’s head of global AR product strategy, noted that 85% of Snapchatters already use the app to enhance the live music experience.
To take this even further, Snap is partnering with Disguise, a leader in live event visualization and virtual production technology. This integration will bring Snap’s AR technology to some of the largest venues around the world, allowing fans to see AR visuals that interact and build upon the performer’s on-stage visuals using the Snapchat camera via Disguise RenderStream. Kygo is already on board, teaming up with Snap and Disguise to level up his summer concerts using experiential AR.
Under the Live Nation partnership, Snap’s AR technology has already been utilized at a dozen festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival and Lollapalooza. The company is now bringing the same AR experience to 16 additional festivals worldwide, including Lollapalooza Paris and the United Kingdom’s Reading and Leeds Festivals.
But it’s not just music where Snap is making waves. The company’s new augmented reality (AR) Mirrors are being introduced to retailers, allowing consumers to virtually try on outfits and determine their best fit. Snapchat filters can now be applied directly to fans’ faces at live sporting events via jumbotrons, creating communal moments of laughter. Attendees at the Keynote were able to experience these new developments firsthand, with custom MadHappy tees and sweatshirts and yellow Snap-themed Nikes being fitted using the AR Mirrors.
Snap’s latest developments show that the company is continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible with technology. With AR being used to enhance everything from music to fashion, Snap is at the forefront of the latest trends in the industry.