Snapchat’s new AI chatbot, dubbed ‘My AI,’ debuted recently to mixed reviews, with some users concerned about its feasibility on the social media network.
The chatbot employs OpenAI’s GPT technology, which is also used by Microsoft’s Bing search engine. However, because the function is pinned to the top of users’ chat streams, only paid customers have the option to disable it.
This has resulted in online criticism, with questions raised about how the app uses location data.
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How does ‘My AI gain’ access to location data?
Snap, on the other hand, has created a blog post about how location data is handled in My AI, clarifying that the chatbot “does not collect any new location information” from its users.
“Snapchat can only ever access your location if you consent to share it,” the company stated.
It also stated that My AI has been changed to “clarify when it is aware of a Snapchatter’s location and when it isn’t.”
“Privacy is a foundational value for us – it is critical to our core use case of helping people visually communicate with their friends and family,” the company stated.
“Across our app, we strive to minimise the amount of data we collect and to be as transparent with our community as possible about how each of our products uses their data.”
An experimental, friendly chatbot
Snap has described its new chatbot, ‘My AI’, as an experimental and friendly tool capable of performing various tasks such as answering questions, providing advice, and planning trips.
However, the company acknowledges that the chatbot may not always be accurate, and its responses may contain biased, incorrect, harmful, or misleading content.
‘My AI’ has been rolled out to millions of users globally, having first been introduced to paid subscribers.
For a monthly fee of £3.99 in the UK, Snapchat+ users can customize their Snapchat experience by pinning and unpinning features, such as ‘My AI’.
According to a spokesperson for Snap, the majority of early-access users have been enjoying the new feature, with millions of messages being sent per day.
“We’ve appreciated all the feedback from our passionate community as we continue to improve the experience.”
Some Snapchat Reviews
Snapchat faced a barrage of one-star reviews from some US users who engaged in “review bombing” on Apple’s App Store.
According to app intelligence firm Sensor Tower, the average review for Snapchat in the US App Store was 1.67 for the past week, with 75% being one-star reviews, compared to an average of 3.05 during Q1 2023.
However, in the UK, reviews have been more balanced, with some critical app store reviews stemming from users unable to access a particular feature. The app has received widespread praise in the UK, with users asking it to rank footballers and name the best player in the Premier League. Snap has also come under fire for being vague about whether its chatbot can access private information, such as location data.
‘My AI’ has received other negative reviews and backlash from users after its wider release to Snapchat’s community.
The chatbot, named “My AI,” can be pinned to the top of the app’s chat tab above conversations with friends, and many users are unhappy that it has been embedded into their personal inboxes, making it feel intrusive, and there is no way to remove it.
The new feature has triggered privacy and consent concerns, and many users are threatening to quit Snapchat over this forced feature.
The bot has been built in compliance with Snapchat’s business policies, and Snap’s goal is to eventually make it available to all of Snapchat’s 750 million monthly users.