Snap Inc. has stopped recommending and rewarding fully AI-generated videos on its Spotlight short-form video feed [1, 2].
This shift represents a pivot in how the platform manages synthetic media. By restricting the visibility of fully automated content, Snapchat aims to protect the financial incentives provided to human creators and prevent the feed from being overwhelmed by low-quality generated media.
According to the company, the algorithm now favors videos created by real people [2, 4]. This change is intended to curb what the company describes as "AI slop," a term for low-effort, synthetic content that can clutter user feeds [1, 3].
While fully AI-generated videos are no longer eligible for rewards or promotion, the company said that AI-edited videos remain permissible [1, 3]. This distinction allows creators to continue using AI tools for enhancement or production assistance, provided the core of the content is human-made.
The policy applies globally to the Spotlight feed, which serves as the app's primary public stream for discovery [3, 4]. The move is designed to ensure that authentic content is promoted over synthetic alternatives [1, 5].
Snapchat said the update is necessary to ensure the integrity of its creator payout system [1, 5]. By removing fully synthetic videos from the reward pool, the company ensures that funds are directed toward human creators who produce original work.
“Snapchat has stopped recommending and rewarding fully AI‑generated videos on its Spotlight feed”
This policy shift signals a growing tension between the ease of AI content production and the need for platform authenticity. As generative video tools become more accessible, social media companies are forced to define the boundary between 'AI-assisted' and 'AI-generated' to prevent synthetic media from cannibalizing the attention and revenue of human influencers.
