Snapchat’s new ‘AI Clips’ Lens format turns photos into five-second videos

On Tuesday, Snapchat took a significant step in social media innovation by introducing AI Clips within Lens Studio, its platform dedicated to creators who design and share augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) effects known as Lenses. This new feature allows users to convert a single photo into a captivating five-second video. Unlike traditional text-to-video tools, AI Clips offer a closed-prompt experience. This means Lens creators can craft specific Lenses that users can interact with to generate videos from their own images. For instance, a creator may develop a Lens that enables users to visualize themselves walking down a glamorous red carpet using their own photograph. Snapchat emphasizes that both novice and seasoned developers can utilize this innovative Lens format to turn a simple prompt into a published Lens within minutes, eliminating the need for additional tools. Access to AI Clips is available to users subscribed to Snapchat’s Lens+ service, priced at $8.99 monthly. This subscription not only unlocks exclusive Lenses and AR experiences but also includes features available through the standard Snapchat+ offering. "For the first time, developers can build and publish photo-to-video AI directly to Snapchat from the GenAI Suite in Lens Studio," Snapchat announced in a press release. They highlighted that no other platform currently merges closed-prompt AI video creation with direct photo input, effective distribution, and monetization. Moreover, Lens creators participating in the Lens+ Payouts monetization program can earn revenue from the AI Clips they design. Snapchat is not alone in this venture; just last week, YouTube revealed its own feature, "Reimagine," which allows users to transform a single frame from a YouTube Short into an 8-second clip using their photos. The launch of AI Clips coincides with Snapchat reporting that users created nearly two trillion Snaps in 2025, averaging an impressive 63,000 Snaps per second.