LONDON: Snapchat owner Snap on Tuesday launched its latest iteration of generative AI technology that will allow users to see more realistic special effects when using phone cameras to film themselves, as it seeks to stay ahead of social media rivals.
Snap has been a pioneer in the field of augmented reality (AR), which overlays computerized effects onto photos or videos of the real world. While the company remains much smaller than rival platforms like Meta, it is betting that making more advanced and whimsical special effects, called lenses, will attract new users and advertisers to Snapchat.
AR developers are now able to create AI-powered lenses, and Snapchat users will be able to use them in their content, the company said.
Santa Monica, California-based Snap also announced an upgraded version of its developer program called Lens Studio, which artists and developers can use to create AR features for Snapchat or other websites and apps.
Bobby Murphy, Snap’s chief technology officer, said the enhanced Lens Studio would reduce the time it takes to create AR effects from weeks to hours and produce more complex work.
“What’s fun for us is that these tools both stretch the creative space in which people can work, but they’re also easy to use, so newcomers can build something unique very quickly,” Murphy said in an interview.
Lens Studio now includes a new suite of generative AI tools, such as an AI assistant that can answer questions if a developer needs help. Another tool will allow artists to type a prompt and automatically generate a three-dimensional image that they can use for their AR lens, removing the need to develop a 3D model from scratch.
Earlier versions of AR technology have been capable only of simple effects, like placing a hat on a person’s head in a video. Snap’s advancements will now allow AR developers to create more realistic lenses, such as having the hat move seamlessly along with a person’s head and match the lighting in the video, Murphy said.
Snap also has plans to create full body, rather than just facial, AR experiences such as generating a new outfit, which is currently very difficult to create, Murphy added.
Snap launches AI tools for advanced augmented reality
https://arab.news/pnghy
Snap launches AI tools for advanced augmented reality
- Snap hopes special lenses will attract new users and advertisers
- AI-led Lens Studio reduces filter creation time and enhances realism
TikTok names 2025 MENA Awards nominees ahead of Dubai ceremony
- Awards celebrate 66 creators across 11 categories, spanning food, sport, education, entertainment, fashion, and beauty
- Ceremony will take place during the 1 Billion Followers Summit on Jan. 8
LONDON: TikTok has announced the nominees for its 2025 MENA Awards, an annual showcase of the creators, trends and cultural moments that shaped the region’s online conversation over the past year.
For the first time, the awards will be held in Dubai during the 1 Billion Followers Summit in January, which is one of the world’s largest gatherings of digital creators.
“We’re proud to celebrate the return of the TikTok Awards in MENA, a moment dedicated to spotlighting the remarkable creativity emerging from our region and the creators who continue to inspire creativity and bring joy to millions every day,” Kinda Ibrahim, regional general manager of operations, TikTok Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia, said.
This year’s TikTok Awards MENA will highlight 66 creators across 11 categories, spanning food, sport, education, entertainment, fashion, and beauty, alongside four cross-cutting prizes: Creator of the Year, Visionary Content Award, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Changemaker of the Year.
TikTok said the shortlisted accounts reflect how MENA creators drove global conversations in 2025, from viral sounds and challenges to issue-based campaigns and long-form storytelling that traveled beyond the region’s borders.
The platform said the awards are an opportunity to recognize creators whose work has helped define the platform’s mix of humor, lifestyle, music, and social commentary in Arabic and other languages.
The ceremony will also include performances by regional artists whose tracks have underpinned major TikTok trends this year, with the full lineup due to be confirmed later in December.
A full list of nominees is available on TikTok MENA channel. Public voting for the awards is now open and runs until Dec. 23, with winners set to be announced at the summit on Jan. 8.
