Snapchat to stop recommending fully AI-generated videos on Spotlight

Snapchat is updating its Spotlight recommendation system to prioritize original, human-created content, announcing that fully AI-generated videos will no longer be eligible for recommendation. The change is part of the company’s broader effort to reduce low-quality, repetitive AI-generated content while continuing to support creators who use AI as part of their creative process.

According to Snap, the updated recommendation policy took effect this month and applies specifically to videos created entirely by artificial intelligence. The company said Spotlight will increasingly surface “authentic, human-made creativity,” as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent across the internet.

The policy does not prohibit AI-assisted content. Snap clarified that videos enhanced or edited using Snapchat’s own AI creative tools will continue to be eligible for Spotlight recommendations. Those posts will also include transparency indicators to show viewers that AI was used during the creative process.

Snap said the change is intended to distinguish between AI serving as a creative tool and AI replacing the creative process altogether. While the company continues investing in generative AI features, it said it wants Spotlight to remain a place where original perspectives, personal storytelling, and content created by real people have the greatest opportunity to be discovered.

The company also revealed that the number of unique Spotlight contributors has increased by more than 120% year over year, pointing to growing participation from both established creators and everyday Snapchat users. Snap acknowledged that no content detection system is perfect but said its objective is to reward originality while maintaining the quality of recommendations.

The update places Snapchat alongside a growing number of digital platforms taking steps to limit the reach of so-called “AI slop”—low-quality, mass-produced AI content. Rather than banning AI-generated videos outright, Snap’s approach focuses on recommendation eligibility, allowing AI-assisted creativity while reducing the visibility of videos generated entirely by AI.