You’ve Got a Friend In Me

Snapchat is one of the most popular apps used by teens everywhere. Lately though, it’s been all abuzz with its new feature, Snapchat AI. The new AI feature provides a customizable virtual friend to ask anything. People can ask the AI questions about themselves, ask for advice, directions to places, sports teams – pretty much anything.

There have been mixed reviews amongst students, however, with some liking the new feature as an interesting new friend to talk to. Others aren’t too fond of it though. Many students have expressed their intense dislike of the new AI and how annoying it is. Many people didn’t want it in the first place but weren’t given a choice and now they’re stuck with it.

“I think it’s useless,” junior Yvette Hernandez said. “There’s just no reason for it to be there unless you’re lonely or something.”

One of the more positive aspects of the AI, however, is customization. While some students didn’t like it at first, they welcomed it when they learned they could customize their new virtual friends’ avatar and name. Some people have made it look like their crush, a celebrity, a character from a show or movie, and some make it even look like themselves.

“I don’t think there’s really any negative about the AI,” sophomore Lana Dao said. “If anything, it gives you the best advice. It’s always there for you.” 

Even though there are both pros and cons of the new Snapchat AI, it has given students something to talk to their peers about and share their experiences with it. It seems though that the new feature has people split and while there are good and bad things about it, it doesn’t look like it’ll be going away anytime soon due to its recent surge in popularity. After all, social media is a huge part of a teen’s life since they use it to document anything school or life related, so this new feature will most definitely be sticking around in the long run due to its unique abilities to talk about anything and look however the user wants it to.