Snapchat, the popular social media app known for its ephemeral messaging
features, has recently expanded the availability of its My AI assistant to all
users. However, this move has not gone down well with its users, who are
complaining about automatically pinning the “My AI” conversation bot to the
top of their chat feed. This article will examine the My AI feature, the user
backlash, and what it means for Snapchat.
What is My AI?
My AI is Snapchat’s chatbot powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology. This
feature was first launched in February 2021 but was exclusively available to
Snapchat Plus subscribers. The company recently announced that it was
expanding the availability of My AI to all Snapchat users, along with other
updates to features like location sharing and stories.
My AI is designed to perform various tasks, such as answering trivia
questions, offering buying advice, giving trip recommendations, suggesting
recipes, and more. It is integrated into the app to make it seem like you’re
chatting with an actual Snapchat friend, but in reality, you’re interacting
with an AI assistant.
Why Are Users Upset?
The main cause of user dissatisfaction with the My AI feature is the automatic
pinning of the chatbot to the top of their chat feed. This means that the My
AI chat takes up the prime position above all of the conversations with actual
friends, which is frustrating for users who want to prioritize their real
friends’ chats.
Snapchat users have taken to the App Store to express their frustration,
leaving a deluge of one-star reviews for the app. According to a report from
Sensor Tower, Snapchat’s average rating in the App Store over the last week is
just 1.67 stars. In fact, 75% of all reviews left in the past week have been
one-star reviews.
Users have also taken to social media platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and
Instagram to complain about the My AI chatbot being pinned to the top of their
chat conversation list. The problem is compounded by the fact that users have
no control over the feature and cannot opt out of it.
How Can You Remove My AI from Your Chat Feed?
If you are a Snapchat Plus subscriber, you can unpin or remove the My AI
chatbot from your chat feed. Here’s how you can do it:
- Swipe right from the Camera screen to go to the Chat screen
- Press and hold on to My AI
- Tap ‘Chat Settings’
- Tap ‘Clear from Chat Feed’
Unfortunately, non-paying Snapchat users cannot remove the My AI chatbot from
their chat feed. Snapchat has not yet commented on the backlash towards the
feature or indicated when or if the ability to remove the chatbot will roll
out to non-paying subscribers.
What Does This Mean for Snapchat?
The user backlash towards the My AI feature reminds app developers to be
mindful of their users’ needs and preferences. While it is understandable that
Snapchat wants to showcase its new AI assistant, it should not do so at the
expense of its users’ experience.
Moreover, the negative reviews and comments on social media platforms could
potentially harm Snapchat’s reputation, leading to a decline in user
engagement and overall app usage. It remains to be seen how Snapchat will
address this issue, but it is clear that the company needs to take users’
feedback seriously and make changes accordingly.
Conclusion
Snapchat’s My AI feature has generated a lot of negative feedback from users
who are unhappy with the automatic pinning of the chatbot to the top of their
chat feed. While this move may have been intended to showcase the company’s
new AI assistant, it has
