Snap Inc. celebrated the sixth annual Lens Fest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 9th, 2023, unveiling groundbreaking developments and exciting opportunities for the global AR creator community. The event drew a crowd of eager AR enthusiasts, developers, and creative minds. During the opening session, Snap made a series of major announcements, focusing on empowering AR developers to reach new heights in their craft. The following exciting updates were introduced: Lens Studio 5.0 Beta: Unlocking New Dimensions in AR Development Snap proudly introduced Lens Studio 5.0 Beta, a complete overhaul of its AR development tool designed to provide a more advanced and collaborative experience for developers. AR creators can explore new dimensions in AR development, fostering innovation and creativity. The groundbreaking tool was made available for developers to try out on November 9th, 2023. ChatGPT API: A Powerful Collaboration with OpenAI In an extraordinary collaboration with OpenAI, Snap presented the ChatGPT Remote API, accessible to any Lens developer. This innovation empowered AR creators to integrate ChatGPT into their Lenses, opening the door to exciting possibilities for learning, conversation, and creativity. This feature was available exclusively in Lens Studio 5.0 Beta Key features of Lens Studio 5.0 Beta included a significant boost in productivity, with projects loading 18 times faster, enhancing performance for creating complex AR projects. Additionally, it introduced new AI capabilities through a partnership with Open AI, offering the ChatGPT Remote API for any Lens developer to leverage, unlocking innovative learning, conversational, and creative experiences for Snapchatters. This update also included a 3D face mask generator, simplifying the creation of viral self-expression Lenses, and empowered team collaboration by supporting version control tools like Git, ensuring seamless project management while enabling multiple developers to work on projects simultaneously. Snap Inc. shared remarkable statistics showcasing the exponential growth of its AR platform, with a thriving community of over 330,000 AR creators, developers, and teams actively engaged. Snap's AR platform achieved a significant milestone in the AR industry, contributing to the creation of nearly 3.5 million Lenses. In just the past year, Snapchatters interacted with these Lenses an astonishing 3 trillion times. In response to the announced developments, Rayan Alzahab, AR Developer Relations Lead at Snapchat MENA, stated: "The new release of Lens Studio 5.0 and the integration of the ChatGPT API by Snap represent a significant leap in our ability to create immersive and interactive augmented reality experiences. The features enhance productivity, introduce advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, and enable team collaboration, allowing us to explore innovative approaches in AR development. This aligns seamlessly with Saudi Vision 2030 as we embrace the transformative power of augmented reality to contribute to the Kingdom's goals of fostering innovation and technological advancement. The updates and innovations embody the spirit of collaboration and innovation, bringing us closer to the vision of a diversified and knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia. The AR developer ecosystem plays a significant role in shaping the future of technology and entertainment in Saudi Arabia and beyond." Anas Elhadj, an AR developer, said, "The introduction of the ChatGPT API is a game-changer. It opens up new possibilities for creating immersive and interactive AR experiences that were previously unimaginable. The collaboration between Snap and Open AI has paved the way for a new era of creativity in the AR world. The possibilities that arise from this collaboration are truly exhilarating, and I am Anas Elhadj, ready to embrace the challenge and explore new horizons in the world of AR. " Another AR developer, Ali Matar Alshammari, stated, "The introduction of Lens Studio 5.0 Beta and the ChatGPT API marks a significant leap forward for AR developers. The enhanced productivity features, coupled with the new AI capabilities, redefine the boundaries of what we can achieve in augmented reality. Snap's commitment to empowering collaborative team efforts through features like version control and supporting multiple developers working simultaneously is a testament to their dedication to fostering a thriving AR community. This update opens up endless possibilities for creative expression and engagement, and as a developer, I'm excited to explore the uncharted territories of AR with these groundbreaking tools." Snap's commitment to the AR community shone brightly at Lens Fest 2023, with Lens Studio 5.0 Beta and ChatGPT API at the forefront of innovation, reaffirming Snap's dedication to providing the best tools and opportunities for AR creators and developers in Saudi and beyond.
