Snapchat Drops Fully AI-Generated Videos From Spotlight Recommendations

Snap announced on July 31, 2026 that wholly AI-generated videos are no longer eligible for recommendation on Spotlight. Content enhanced or edited with Snapchat's AI creative tools stays eligible and carries transparency indicators.

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Snap announced on July 31, 2026 that wholly AI-generated videos will no longer be eligible for recommendation on Spotlight, its short-form video feed¹. The stated aim is to keep Spotlight “a place where people can discover authentic creativity from real people”¹.

Content that has been enhanced or edited using Snapchat’s AI creative tools remains eligible for recommendation and includes transparency indicators¹. The company also acknowledges that AI plays an important part of the creative process for some creators and can unlock new forms of expression¹. By Snap’s own count, the number of unique Spotlight contributors globally rose more than 120% year over year¹. TechCrunch reported the company’s explanation that only videos created by real people are eligible for Spotlight recommendations². On labeling AI-generated content more broadly, the regulatory side has been moving too, through the EU AI Act’s transparency obligations and the code of practice on labelling AI-generated content.