Snapchat no longer rewards fully AI-generated Spotlight content

Snapchat has decided to no longer reward fully AI-generated videos on its Spotlight feature, as the social network seeks to prioritize content made by real people. The platform announced this change on Friday, stating that its recommendation systems will be updated to ensure that only videos created by actual individuals are eligible for Spotlight recommendations.

In a blog post, Snapchat emphasized its desire for Spotlight to remain a place where people can discover genuine creativity from real people, highlighting the importance of rewarding original perspectives, personal storytelling, and the moments that people choose to create and share themselves.

Despite this shift, Snapchat clarified that it is not entirely rejecting AI. Users can still utilize the platform's AI creative tools to enhance or edit their content. This update is in line with Snapchat's broader efforts to improve Spotlight and refocus on original posts that showcase human creativity. In April, the company had hinted that users would encounter less AI-generated content.

As concerns over low-quality AI-generated content, commonly referred to as "AI slop," have grown, numerous companies are revising their policies to deprioritize such material in their algorithms, introduce reporting features, or even remove certain AI functionalities altogether.

For example, LinkedIn recently introduced a feature that enables users to flag posts that appear to be AI-generated by clicking on a button labeled "seems like AI slop." Substack also launched a tool designed to help users identify AI-written newsletters. Recently, Meta faced considerable backlash over an Instagram feature that permitted users to modify photos from public accounts using AI, prompting the tech giant to discontinue the feature.

Furthermore, YouTube has ramped up its efforts to combat low-quality AI content by refining its monetization policies, making it impossible to monetize "inauthentic content," including generic, repetitive, or template-based content, and any material featuring AI personas discussing sensitive topics like health and finance.

Separately, Snapchat recently implemented new content control measures aimed at protecting younger users. Individuals aged 13 to 15 will now only be able to share Spotlight posts with people they follow back, a move intended to safeguard against doxxing.