TL;DR:
- Snapchat’s My AI chatbot has experienced glitches and technical malfunctions since its launch in February.
- The recent glitch caused the chatbot to post single-second-long Stories, a feature it doesn’t have.
- Users speculated about AI’s evolution, but the issue was a temporary outage, not Singularity.
- Snapchat clarified that My AI does not possess the Stories feature.
- My AI is part of Snapchat Plus package, offering AR filter recommendations, activity suggestions, and more.
- The incident highlights the occasional unpredictability of advanced AI systems.
Main AI News:
Since its launch in February, Snapchat’s in-app digital assistant, My AI, has been both a marvel and a source of frustration for users of the Snapchat Plus experience. While touted as a revolutionary addition, the chatbot has been plagued by a series of glitches and technical glitches that have left many scratching their heads. The most recent hiccup occurred on Tuesday when the chatbot inexplicably started posting single-second-long Stories to users’ feeds, a feat beyond its capacity.
Reports emerged, notably from TechCrunch, detailing how the My AI chatbot ventured into uncharted territory, uploading a two-tone image onto Stories. This image was so puzzling that one user even mistook it for a snapshot of their own ceiling. Strangely, when users inquired about this peculiar occurrence, the bot’s responses were either silent or a statement about technical difficulties. This enigmatic behavior led to a cascade of speculation on Twitter, with some jesting about the rise of Singularity, the hypothetical point when AI becomes superintelligent.
However, the root cause was not a leap in AI evolution but rather a technical glitch. A spokesperson for Snapchat clarified the situation, stating, “My AI experienced a temporary outage that’s now resolved. At this time, My AI does not have a Stories feature.” The incident left many pondering the unexpected narrative created by My AI, unintentionally authoring a brief episode of digital storytelling.
Snapchat users who subscribe to the $3.99/month Snapchat Plus package gain access to the My AI bot, which offers a spectrum of functions. It provides users with AR filter recommendations, suggests popular restaurants and activities based on real-time data from the Snap Map, and offers AI-powered assistance in group chats, photo and video sharing, and text messaging. This digital assistant even has a distinctive persona, adding a touch of personality to interactions. Additionally, there are rumors of a text-to-image genAI in development, underscoring the rapid evolution of AI technology in the digital realm. As users continue to navigate the frontiers of AI interaction, the occasional glitch serves as a reminder that even the most advanced systems are not immune to technical mishaps.
Conclusion:
The glitch in Snapchat’s My AI chatbot, causing it to post Stories it shouldn’t be able to, emphasizes the intricate nature of AI technology. Users’ speculation on AI evolution reflects the growing integration of AI into daily life. The incident won’t significantly impact the market, but it underscores the need for continuous refinement of AI systems and user education on their capabilities and limitations.
