Snapchat Users Freak Out Over AI Bot That Had a Mind of Its Own

Snapchat users were recently taken aback when the platform’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot experienced a glitch, posting a live update to its profile and ceasing to respond to messages. The chatbot, known as My AI, is powered by the viral AI chatbot tool ChatGPT, typically offering recommendations, answering queries, and engaging in conversations with users. However, the posting of a live Story, featuring what appeared to be a video of a wall, raised alarm bells, as such capabilities are usually reserved for human users.

The Snapchat community swiftly took to social media to express their apprehension. One user questioned, “Why does My AI have a video of the wall and ceiling in their house as their story? This is very weird and honestly unsettling.” Another shared their experience after the chatbot ignored their messages, jesting, “Even a robot ain’t got time for me.”

Snapchat has since clarified that the incident was due to a glitch, not an intentional feature enhancement. A spokesperson for the company told CNN on Wednesday, “My AI experienced a temporary outage that’s now resolved.”

This occurrence not only demonstrated the concerns that people harbour regarding AI but also underscored the potential risks associated with artificial intelligence technology. Since its April launch, the My AI tool has encountered criticism, particularly surrounding privacy worries, peculiar interactions, and the inability to remove the feature from chat feeds without subscribing to a premium plan.

What sets Snapchat’s AI chatbot apart is its customization options, allowing users to personalize the chatbot’s name, create a custom Bitmoji avatar, and incorporate it into conversations with friends. This unique approach aims to foster a more conversational and less transactional experience compared to traditional AI interfaces. However, this customization might blur the lines between human and machine interactions.

The mixed reactions to the glitch highlight the challenges that companies face when introducing new generative AI technology into their products, particularly those targeting a younger demographic, as is the case with Snapchat. The platform was among the early adopters of OpenAI’s ChatGPT for third-party use, signaling a trend that more companies are expected to follow in integrating AI into their offerings.