On Thursday, Snapchat announced a broad set of new features, with particular emphasis on generative AI-a push in an effort to keep users engaged and connected within the app.

Snap is first adding a new option that will enable users to create custom clothing for their Bitmoji characters using AI prompts.
According to Snap:

"With a short description and a little help from AI, Snapchatters can create their own digital clothing for their Bitmoji. Create different custom patterns such as "vibrant graffiti" or "skull flower," and tap on your favorite to edit and see your clothes change."

An interesting addition, as the Bitmoji characters are some of the most popular characters on Snap, this will no doubt prove popular in providing another avenue for Snapchatters to use generative AI in the app.

Snap is also going to include reminders inside its "My AI" chatbot, so you can even use this as some sort of digital assistant.

"If you want to remind yourself of an upcoming deadline or count down 'til the weekend, just ask My AI for a reminder in direct chats or in a discussion with one other friend! Just a few taps on the messaging interface, and My AI will get you set up with an in-app Countdown so you never miss a moment."
This is another cool thing with the app which can be used for something useful.

Snapchat is also launching a new AI-powered Lens, which enables users to see what it would look like if they had been them in the 1990s; it puts them into a simulated scene from back in the day.
I mean, some of us know what we looked like in the 90s, and it wasn't cool enough to be this, but it's another AI integration that provides an alternative depiction in the app similar to Snap's "Dreams" feature.

On the non-AI front, Snap's also enabling chat edits, so you can update your DMs for up to 5 minutes after sending.

When you finally made that typo or something didn't come out just quite right, edit your messages for up to five minutes after you've sent them, before your friend responds. This feature is coming soon and will be available first for Snapchat+ subscribers."

So Snap's is going to use this much-requested feature to bait more Snapchat+ subscribers first. But it's another handy option that will be coming soon to the app.

Snap's also adding "Map Reactions", which will let users fire up conversations from the Snap Map.
That'll add another way to get in touch and a casual way to maybe prompt another user nearby to catch up IRL.
Expanded emoji reactions are being added to Snap. This means that users can reply with any emoji they want to an underlying DM.

Some of these are really exciting updates, especially interesting to see how Snap is looking at integrating generative AI, which talks to its nous for tapping updates that will resonate with its users.