Snapchat Turns Chats into Advertising Showcases with AI

Snapchat recently unveiled an innovation that could redefine how users interact with brands on the platform: “AI Sponsored Snaps.” This new form of conversational advertising relies on the integration of artificial agents into user discussions.

Specifically, these “AI Sponsored Snaps” appear as messages inserted directly into conversations. Users have the opportunity to ask all sorts of questions, to which these AI agents respond interactively.

However, it is crucial to understand that these agents are not neutral. They are designed and funded by brands, which means they will inevitably steer discussions toward the products or services of these companies. For example, with Experian, Snapchat's first official partner for this project, the agent starts by addressing financial topics before gradually shifting toward commercial offers.

This raises the question: is this a positive or negative advancement for users? While these sponsored AI agents may seem like traditional interlocutors, the true added value of “AI Sponsored Snaps” for users remains to be demonstrated.

The responses provided by these agents do not fundamentally differ from those one might receive from a traditional chatbot such as Gemini or Claude. The difference lies in the fact that each interaction is designed to generate revenue for the brands.

Snapchat's initiative to launch “AI Sponsored Snaps” is not particularly surprising. The company is indeed in a state of excitement. According to its own data, 85% of its users regularly use messaging, and over 950 billion messages were exchanged in just the first quarter of 2026.

In this context, it is clear that Snapchat is looking to capitalize on this massive engagement. Ajit Mohan, Snapchat's Chief Commercial Officer, stated that “conversation is becoming the most valuable real estate in advertising.”

In a statement, Mohan explained that artificial intelligence accelerates this trend, transforming exchanges into spaces where users can discover products, ask questions, and make decisions in real-time.

For Snapchat, the challenge is no longer just about inserting advertising in a traditional manner. It is now about creating formats that seamlessly integrate into users' daily discussions.

To illustrate this vision, Snapchat draws on the success of My AI, its conversational assistant launched three years ago. Since its launch in 2023, over 500 million people have already interacted with this chatbot.

Although this launch was impressive, it has not been without controversy. During some tests conducted by journalists and researchers posing as teenagers, the tool provided responses deemed inappropriate, particularly on sensitive topics.