The rise of AI chatbot technology has skyrocketed in 2020 and evidence has emerged to suggest that these bots may be spreading too quickly for many people’s comfort level. Recently, several Snapchat users voiced their frustrations in response to the rollout of ‘My AI’, a ChatGPT-powered assistant.
Sensor Tower and Apptopia debuted reports on the week of the rollout revealing an average US App Store rating of only 1.67 stars, with 75% of these reviews being one star. The reports suggest that the reason for this large drop in ratings is due to users finding the AI assistant to be too intrusive and locking them out of certain features.
The chatbot sits at the top of users’ Snapchat feeds and they cannot unpin the assistant unless they are a Snapchat Plus subscriber. This has caused many comments of discontent on Twitter and app stores as users are denied access to features until they upgrade their subscription.
A lot of concerns circled around the chatbot’s use of location data. However, Snapchat quickly responded to clarify the AI only had access to location data the user had already authorized. This assurance did little to stand in the way of the backlash that continued.
The introduction of AI chatbot on Snapchat has served as a warning for other tech companies about the roll out of AI-powered tech. While the potential of AI is undeniable, it must be rolled out slowly with caution and due consideration of user experience and privacy.
Snapchat is a media platform and camera company that has since become one of the most decisive and beloved digital media companies of the generation. It enables its users to take and share photos, videos and messages with the world. Founded by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown back in 2011, Snapchat’s net worth is now estimated to be around $33 billion.
Evan Thomas Spiegel (born June 4, 1990) is an American Internet entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and CEO of the American technology and social media company Snap Inc., which he founded (as Snapchat Inc.) along with Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown while they were students at Stanford University. Spiegel was named the youngest billionaire in the world in 2015 as a result of Snap’s IPO. He also ranked #1 on the 2019 Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest people in America.
