AI chatbots have spent the past few years handling refunds, tracking orders, resetting passwords, answering banking questions, booking appointments, and helping brands trim support teams. Now, Snapchat’s AI Sponsored Snaps suggest their next stop could be sales.
Snap has introduced AI Sponsored Snaps, a new ad format that brings brand-run AI agents into Snapchat Chat. Users can open these ads, ask questions, get suggestions, explore services, and move toward actions such as app installs or purchases without leaving the conversation.
For the alpha phase, Snap has partnered with Experian. Its AI Sponsored Snap appears in the Chat tab and opens into a branded screen where users can ask about credit scores, loans, credit cards, and spending habits. Experian’s AI agent then replies like a normal chat, except the conversation is clearly built to guide users toward a brand’s services.
Are ads becoming sales agents now?
This is where things get a little less cheerful. AI chatbots have already shown companies how much work can be moved away from human support teams. AI Sponsored Snaps take that same idea and brings it closer to the sales funnel.
These chats are not just answering random questions. They are meant to help people discover products, understand services, get personalized recommendations, and move closer to a purchase. That sounds a lot like the job of a sales employee, especially in businesses where selling already happens through chats, calls, and guided product explainers.
Could sales teams be next in line?
Ajit Mohan, Snap’s Chief Business Officer, said conversation is becoming “the most valuable real estate in advertising,” with AI helping people discover products and make decisions in real time. That line says a lot about where this is going.
Users who want quick answers may find this useful, but workers may see a less cozy picture. AI Sponsored Snaps may start as an ad format, although the work looks familiar. They talk to customers, clear doubts, offer suggestions, and guide people toward buying. Customer support has already faced this shift. Sales could be next.