Key Highlights:

• Snapchat now allows users to interact directly with brand AI agents through Sponsored Snaps.
• The new format places conversational ads inside the Chat tab.
• Snap says more than half a billion users already message its AI chatbot.
• Brands can use AI agents to answer questions and guide purchase decisions in real time.

Snapchat has launched a new advertising format called AI Sponsored Snaps that lets users interact directly with brands through conversational AI inside the app’s Chat tab. The update turns static ads into interactive conversations and signals a broader shift toward chat-based product discovery.

Until now, Sponsored Snaps appeared in the Chat feed but did not support interaction. With the new rollout, users can ask questions, explore recommendations, and receive responses from brand AI agents in real time. As a result, advertising on Snapchat is moving closer to messaging-driven engagement.

Why is Snapchat turning conversations into ad space?

According to Ajit Mohan, chief business officer at Snap Inc., conversation is becoming the most valuable space in digital advertising. He said AI is accelerating how users discover products and make decisions within chat environments.

This shift reflects changing behavior across social platforms. Users increasingly rely on messaging rather than scrolling feeds to explore services and products. Therefore, integrating AI agents directly into conversations creates a new layer of engagement between brands and users.

Snapchat also pointed out that more than half a billion people have already interacted with its My AI chatbot since 2023. That adoption suggests users are comfortable chatting with AI inside the app.

How do Snapchat AI Sponsored Snaps work?

AI Sponsored Snaps appear inside the Chat tab, where users already message friends and the My AI assistant. However, unlike earlier versions, these ads now support direct interaction.

Brands can deploy their own AI agents through the format. These agents answer questions, recommend products, and guide decisions during conversations. Because the interaction happens in real time, the experience feels closer to messaging than advertising.

Snapchat says the format builds on existing Sponsored Snaps performance. Earlier versions already delivered 22 percent higher conversions and nearly 20 percent lower cost per action compared with traditional formats.

Why Snapchat sees chat as the future of advertising

Snapchat reported that 85 percent of users regularly engage with the Chat feed. In addition, users sent more than 950 billion messages during the first quarter of 2026 alone.

Teen engagement remains especially strong. The company said 57 percent of teenage users message others daily, while four in ten do so multiple times each day. These patterns explain why Snap is focusing on chat as a discovery surface instead of a passive ad channel.

With nearly one billion monthly active users, the platform offers brands access to large audiences inside a familiar communication environment. That makes conversational ads easier to integrate into everyday interactions.

What this means for the future of Snapchat advertising

The launch of AI Sponsored Snaps shows how advertising formats are shifting toward real-time conversations instead of static placements. By embedding AI agents into chats, Snapchat is positioning messaging as a central layer for product discovery and decision-making across its platform.

As conversational interfaces expand across social apps, Snapchat is testing how interactive AI can reshape how users engage with brands inside messaging spaces.