Snapchat is opening a new lane for advertisers by turning brand messages into live AI conversations inside one of the app’s busiest spaces.
The company announced Tuesday that it is launching AI Sponsored Snaps, a new ad format that lets users directly chat with brands through artificial intelligence agents. Sponsored Snaps already appear in Snapchat’s main Chat tab, but users previously could not respond or interact with them. With this update, people can now ask product questions, request recommendations, and receive real-time answers without leaving the conversation feed.
The rollout signals Snap’s push to blend advertising with the same messaging behavior that drives daily activity across the platform. While some users may welcome faster product discovery, others may see it as another example of AI moving deeper into everyday social media experiences.
Snap says user behavior supports the shift. According to the company, more than half a billion people have messaged Snapchat’s AI chatbot since its 2023 debut.
“Conversation is becoming the most valuable real estate in advertising,” said Ajit Mohan, chief business officer at Snap, in the blog post. “AI is accelerating that shift, turning chat into the place where people discover products, ask questions, and make decisions in real time. The real opportunity isn’t just putting ads into those environments, it’s designing formats that feel native to how people already talk.”
For marketers, the new format offers access to Snapchat’s nearly one billion monthly active users. Brands can also integrate their own AI agents to help drive engagement and purchases.
Snap added that Sponsored Snaps already generate 22% more conversions with nearly 20% lower cost per action. The company also said 85% of users engage regularly in Chat, where more than 950 billion messages were sent during the first quarter of 2026 alone.
