Snapchat acquired the computer vision startup AI Factory in January 2020 to boost its video capabilities. The acquisition was linked to Snapchat’s efforts to make sophisticated video effects easier to create and use.
AI Factory was known for technology behind Cameos, a feature that lets users place their faces into short, personalized animated video clips. Computer vision is central to that experience because software must recognize and track facial features so the inserted face can move convincingly within the clip.
The deal fits Snapchat’s longer history of using acquisitions to strengthen camera and augmented-reality features. Earlier purchases included AddLive for video-chat technology, while Looksery and Seene were associated with camera and vision capabilities. Those names can make this question tricky, but the January 2020 acquisition specifically connected to improving video was AI Factory.