Snapchat stops rewarding fully AI-made videos in Spotlight

In short: Snapchat says fully AI-generated videos will no longer be eligible for Spotlight recommendations and rewards.

What happened

Snapchat announced it is changing how Spotlight works. Spotlight is Snapchat’s feed for short, viral-style videos, similar to a “For You” page on other apps.

The company said it will adjust its recommendation system, meaning the automated system that decides what videos get shown to more people (like a DJ choosing what plays next). With this change, only videos “created by real people” can be recommended in Spotlight and qualify for rewards.

Snapchat said it wants Spotlight to stay focused on “authentic creativity” and personal storytelling. The company also clarified that it is not banning AI entirely. Creators can still use Snapchat’s AI tools to improve, edit, or add effects to content they make.

Snapchat has hinted at this direction before. In April, it said users would see less AI-generated content in Spotlight.

Why it matters

Many people have complained about low-quality, mass-produced AI posts, sometimes called “AI slop.” These posts can crowd out videos made by real people and make feeds feel repetitive.

Snapchat is not alone in reacting. TechCrunch notes that LinkedIn recently added a “seems like AI slop” report button, Substack introduced a tool to help identify AI-written newsletters, and YouTube clarified rules that limit money-making for “inauthentic” content.

Source: TechCrunch AI