Snap launches Specs Intelligence, an anticipatory AI assistant

Snap introduces Specs Intelligence, an assistant designed to anticipate needs and aggregate information from connected accounts. The service is launching in a preliminary version on iOS, with a waitlist for a complete experience on Mac, and it also interfaces with the brand's new AR glasses. The company emphasizes privacy guarantees and a mix of open-source and local models.

Snap promises not to exploit personal content

Snap claims it cannot see or access the personal content used with Specs Intelligence. The company also specifies that data from connected accounts will not be used to train or refine its AI models, nor to offer personalized advertisements. Despite these assurances, Snap acknowledges that there is a challenge in establishing user trust regarding access to their information and that of connected services. On the technical side, spokesperson Cassie Bumgarner indicates that Specs Intelligence relies on a proprietary combination of open-source models hosted in the United States and local LLMs, and that this mix of models is regularly updated.

Proactive assistance, meetings, and travel on the agenda

Specs Intelligence is presented as a predictive assistant, capable of understanding the user's goals, priorities, relationships, and routines from connected applications and tools. The user's personal information is synchronized across different devices and becomes more accurate over time. The service is designed to provide advance suggestions for relevant information or actions, such as recommending decisions, questions, or key points to remember before a meeting, or gathering flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations while reminding of a professional deadline that coincides with the trip. According to a demonstration video, the assistant operates in a conversational mode and can connect to applications like Gmail and Slack. When used on the Specs AR glasses, it can display personal content directly in the field of vision, particularly during a daily briefing before work.

iOS in preliminary phase, Mac on waitlist, glasses as support

Specs Intelligence is available today in a preliminary version on iOS. A waitlist allows users to sign up for access to the complete early access experience planned for Mac, although Snap has not specified what distinguishes this version from the preliminary one. The launch of the assistant coincides with that of Specs, Snap's first pair of augmented reality glasses aimed at consumers. Specs Intelligence can connect other digital accounts to assist with professional tasks and travel information tracking, thus integrating into the brand's hardware and software ecosystem.