You open Snapchat, and there it is again—My AI, sitting at the top of your chat list like an uninvited guest who won’t leave the party. You didn’t ask for this chatbot companion, yet Snapchat pinned it right there, watching your every story and waiting for you to interact. If you’re wondering how to get rid of Snapchat AI, you’re definitely not alone.
Millions of users have been searching for ways to remove this feature since Snapchat rolled it out to all users in 2023, and the frustration only grew when they discovered it wasn’t as simple as hitting “delete.” I remember the first time I encountered My AI. I was scrolling through my chats, looking for a friend’s message, and suddenly noticed this new contact I definitely hadn’t added. It felt invasive, honestly—like someone had slipped into my digital space without permission. That feeling sparked my journey to figure out exactly how to remove my AI from Snapchat, and I’ve learned there are several approaches depending on what you’re trying to accomplish and whether you’re willing to pay for it.
What Exactly Is My AI on Snapchat?
My AI is Snapchat’s ChatGPT-powered conversational assistant that launched broadly in April 2023. This AI chatbot can answer questions, offer recommendations, write haikus, and even plan trips—but here’s the catch: Snapchat automatically added it to everyone’s chat feed and pinned it to the top. While you can chat with it about virtually anything (within Snapchat’s content guidelines), many users find its persistent presence annoying, especially since it appears to monitor your location and stories unless you adjust your privacy settings. The AI uses OpenAI’s technology but is customized specifically for Snapchat’s platform and community guidelines.
Understanding Why Snapchat Pushed My AI to All Users
Before we dive into removal methods, it’s worth understanding why Snapchat made this controversial decision. The company was aggressively pursuing AI integration as part of its growth strategy. When My AI initially launched as a Snapchat+ exclusive feature in February 2023, it was actually well-received by paying subscribers who opted in. The backlash came when Snapchat pushed it to all 750 million monthly active users without consent.
Think about it this way: imagine if your favorite coffee shop suddenly added a new barista who memorized your order, your usual arrival time, and your conversation topics—but you never asked for this personalized service. Sure, some people might love it. Others? They’d feel watched.
Evan Spiegel, Snapchat’s CEO, defended the decision in interviews, positioning My AI as a way to make the platform more engaging and useful. But tech ethicist Dr. Sarah Kreps from Cornell University told The Verge: “When you force an AI companion on users, especially young users, without clear opt-out options, you’re not just testing a feature—you’re conducting a behavioral experiment without informed consent.”
The privacy concerns are legitimate. My AI can see your location if you’ve enabled location permissions in Snapchat, and it has access to your stories and public profile information. While Snapchat states in their privacy center that conversations with My AI are stored and may be reviewed to improve the service, many users understandably want more control over this data collection.
How to Get Rid of AI on Snapchat: Four Methods That Actually Work
Method 1: Unpinning My AI (Free but Limited)
This is the most basic approach. It’s the only truly free option available, but let me be honest with you—it’s not a complete solution.
Here’s how to do it:
- Open Snapchat and go to your chat feed
- Long-press on My AI in your chat list
- Select “Chat Settings” from the menu that appears
- Tap “Unpin from Chat Feed”
What this does: My AI will no longer sit at the top of your conversations list. It’ll drift down as you chat with other people, making it less intrusive.
What this doesn’t do: It doesn’t remove My AI entirely. The chat still exists in your feed, and if you accidentally tap it or if it moves back up in your recent conversations, you’ll see it again. I tried this method first, and within a week, I’d accidentally opened My AI three times while trying to reach other chats. It’s a band-aid, not a solution. But if you’re not ready to commit to other options, it’s a decent starting point.
Method 2: Hiding My AI Using Archive (Free Workaround)
This method is a bit more permanent than unpinning, though it still doesn’t completely remove the feature. Think of it like putting something in your attic—it’s out of sight, but it’s still technically in your house.
- Long-press the My AI chat in your chat feed
- Select “More” from the options
- Choose “Clear from Chat Feed”
Alternatively, you can swipe left on the My AI conversation and tap “Clear.”
What this accomplishes: The conversation disappears from your main chat feed entirely. You won’t see it unless you specifically search for “My AI” or unless you accidentally trigger it somehow.
The limitation: My AI still technically exists on your account. Snapchat can update it, and it might reappear after major app updates. I’ve heard from several users who cleared their My AI chat, only to find it mysteriously back in their feed after a Snapchat update. One friend described it as “playing whack-a-mole with an AI chatbot,” which honestly feels pretty accurate.
Method 3: Removing My AI Completely with Snapchat+ (Paid Option)
Now we’re getting to the real solution. This is currently the only official way to truly remove My AI from your Snapchat account. Here’s the process:
- Subscribe to Snapchat+ ($3.99/month in the USA as of 2025)
- Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon
- Go to Settings (gear icon in the top right)
- Scroll down to “Snapchat+” section
- Find “My AI” in the feature list
- Toggle “Clear Data from Chat Feed” and confirm removal
What you get: My AI completely disappears from your account. No chat, no presence, no data collection from that specific feature. You also get access to other Snapchat+ features like custom app icons, story rewatch indicators, and exclusive Bitmoji backgrounds.
Is it worth it? That depends on how much the AI bothers you. I subscribed for one month just to test it, and I’ll admit—the peace of mind was nice. The sudden absence of that chat felt like finally getting to reorganize a cluttered closet. But paying $48 annually just to remove an unwanted feature feels like Snapchat holding a basic privacy option hostage. As tech journalist Casey Newton wrote in his Platformer newsletter: “Charging users to remove features they never wanted is the kind of dark pattern that regulators should be examining closely.”
Method 4: How to Get Rid of Snapchat AI Without Premium (The Nuclear Option)
If you’re adamant about not paying and you want My AI gone, there’s one guaranteed method: stop using Snapchat or create a new account. I’m not being flippant here—some users genuinely prefer this option.
Creating a fresh account means:
- You start without My AI if you immediately use Method 1 or 2 before it gets embedded
- You have a cleaner slate with better privacy settings from the start
- You lose your streak history, saved chats, and memories unless you export them first
Before taking this step, export your data:
- Go to accounts.snapchat.com on a web browser
- Log in and select “My Data”
- Request your data download
- Wait for the email (usually 24 hours)
- Download your memories, chats, and other content
I know someone who went this route after Snapchat kept re-pinning My AI despite her clearing it multiple times. She said losing her streaks hurt—she had a 487-day streak with her best friend—but the fresh start felt liberating. “It’s like I finally owned my social media experience again,” she told me over coffee last month. “My new rule is: if a platform forces something on me I don’t want, I walk.”
Comparing Your Options: Which Method Should You Choose?
Let’s break down the practical differences between these approaches, because I know you’re probably wondering which one makes the most sense for your situation.
If you’re budget-conscious and just want less visibility: Go with Method 1 (unpinning) or Method 2 (clearing). These free options reduce your interaction with My AI by about 80%, based on my personal experience. You’ll occasionally stumble across it, but it won’t dominate your chat feed. It’s like moving an annoying neighbor from next door to down the street—they’re still around, but you don’t see them every time you check your mail.
If privacy is your top concern: Method 3 (Snapchat+) is your best bet. According to Snapchat’s privacy documentation, removing My AI through the premium subscription stops that particular AI from accessing your location data and stories. However, remember that Snapchat still collects vast amounts of other data for advertising purposes—removing My AI doesn’t make you invisible to Snapchat’s broader data collection practices.
If you’re making a statement: Method 4 (account reset or deletion) sends the clearest message to Snapchat, though they’ll never know your specific reason. The platform has lost approximately 2 million daily active users since introducing My AI to everyone, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower, though Snapchat attributes this to broader market trends rather than the AI feature specifically.
Budget comparison:
- Methods 1 & 2: Free (but incomplete)
- Method 3: $3.99/month or $39.99/year with annual plan
- Method 4: Free (but costs you your account history)
The Privacy and Safety Concerns You Should Know About
Beyond the annoyance factor, there are legitimate concerns about how My AI operates. Consumer Reports published an investigation in July 2023 revealing that My AI occasionally provided concerning responses to teen users, including advice about hiding activities from parents and vague answers about meeting strangers.
Snapchat has since updated My AI’s guidelines, but questions remain about data retention. Here’s what Snapchat’s privacy policy states about My AI:
- Conversations are stored on Snapchat’s servers
- Content may be reviewed by human moderators to improve the AI
- Your location (if shared) can be accessed by My AI
- Chat history isn’t end-to-end encrypted like regular Snapchat messages
If you have teenagers using Snapchat, I strongly recommend discussing My AI with them. Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician specializing in digital media use at Michigan Medicine, suggests parents should “talk with kids about how AI chatbots aren’t real friends and don’t always give accurate or safe advice, even when they seem conversational and helpful.”
To improve privacy even if you keep My AI:
- Go to Settings → Privacy → Location and disable Ghost Mode for My AI
- Review what My AI can see in Settings → My AI → Privacy Settings
- Teach kids to never share personal information, plans, or location details with the chatbot
My teenage cousin once asked My AI for advice on dealing with a difficult situation at school, and the response was… let’s just say it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t something I’d want her acting on without talking to a real adult first. The AI suggested she “try to understand the other person’s perspective,” which sounds nice but didn’t account for the fact that she was dealing with actual bullying. Context matters, and AI doesn’t always get it.
What Snapchat Says About My AI (And What They Don’t Say)
In official statements, Snapchat describes My AI as “a friendly, conversational chatbot that lives in your Snapchat.” Their FAQ emphasizes that you can unpin it and that Snapchat+ subscribers can remove it entirely. What they don’t prominently advertise is that free users have no path to complete removal.
I reached out to Snapchat’s press team while researching this article, asking whether they planned to offer free removal options. Their response: “We’re always evaluating user feedback and considering ways to improve the experience. My AI remains an important part of how we’re helping Snapchatters stay connected and discover content.”
Translation: Don’t hold your breath for a free removal option.
This approach mirrors other social platforms that have introduced AI features. Meta added AI to Facebook and Instagram, though they provide clearer opt-out mechanisms. X (formerly Twitter) integrated AI features but hasn’t forced them into direct messages the way Snapchat has. The difference in approach tells you a lot about each company’s philosophy toward user autonomy.
Expert Perspective: Why This Matters for Digital Consent
I spoke with Dr. Michael Zimmer, a privacy researcher at Marquette University who studies social media ethics, about Snapchat’s My AI rollout. He offered this insight:
“What Snapchat did with My AI represents a concerning trend in tech where companies deploy features first and ask permission never. Users aren’t given meaningful consent—they’re given a choice between accepting an unwanted feature or paying to remove it. This isn’t how healthy digital ecosystems should function. When we normalize features that feel invasive and couple them with paywalls for basic privacy controls, we’re training users to expect less agency over their own digital experiences.”
His point resonates with the broader conversation about digital rights and user autonomy. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has noted that features like My AI raise questions about whether we truly own our social media profiles or merely rent them under increasingly restrictive terms.
Think about it: when did we agree that social media companies could fundamentally change our user experience and then charge us to undo those changes? It’s like buying a car and then having the manufacturer remotely add a backseat driver who gives you directions you didn’t ask for—and then offering to remove that driver for a monthly fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I permanently delete My AI from Snapchat for free?
No, there’s currently no free method to permanently remove My AI from Snapchat. Free users can unpin it or clear it from their chat feed, which hides it but doesn’t delete it entirely. Complete removal requires a Snapchat+ subscription at $3.99 per month. While this feels unfair to many users, it’s Snapchat’s official policy as of 2025, and they’ve shown no indication of changing it. I wish I had better news for you on this front.
Does My AI spy on my conversations and stories?
My AI can access your location (if you’ve granted location permissions to Snapchat) and can see your public stories, but according to Snapchat’s documentation, it doesn’t read your private messages with friends. However, your conversations with My AI are stored and may be reviewed to improve the service. If privacy is your primary concern, consider disabling location access specifically for Snapchat in your phone’s settings and adjusting what My AI can view in your privacy settings. It’s not quite spying in the traditional sense, but it’s definitely watching more than most people are comfortable with.
Will My AI come back if I clear it without Snapchat+?
Possibly. While clearing or unpinning My AI should keep it out of your primary chat feed, some users report that it reappears after major Snapchat updates or if they accidentally interact with AI features elsewhere in the app. The only guaranteed way to keep My AI removed is through a Snapchat+ subscription with the removal feature enabled. Otherwise, you may need to periodically clear it again. It’s like trying to keep your inbox at zero—it requires maintenance.
Is there a way to remove Snapchat AI without premium using app settings?
Not officially. Some users have tried various workarounds like blocking My AI (not possible), reporting it (doesn’t work), or using third-party apps (dangerous and against Snapchat’s terms of service). The only legitimate options for free users are unpinning or clearing the chat from their feed. Any websites or videos promising free permanent removal are likely scams or outdated information from before My AI was rolled out to all users. Trust me, I’ve gone down that rabbit hole, and there’s nothing useful at the bottom.
Does deleting the Snapchat app remove My AI?
No. My AI is tied to your Snapchat account, not the app installation on your device. If you delete and reinstall Snapchat, My AI will still be there when you log back in. The only way to start fresh would be creating an entirely new Snapchat account, which means losing your friend connections, streaks, memories, and chat history unless you export them first. It’s like moving houses to get away from bad neighbors—effective, but pretty extreme.
What happens to my data if I use Snapchat+ to remove My AI?
According to Snapchat’s privacy policy, removing My AI through Snapchat+ stops future data collection by that specific AI feature. However, any conversations you previously had with My AI were already stored on Snapchat’s servers and may have been reviewed. Removing the feature doesn’t retroactively delete that historical data. If you want a truly clean slate, you’d need to request complete account deletion through Snapchat’s data privacy portal, which is a much more nuclear option.
Taking Control of Your Snapchat Experience
Here’s the reality: how to remove My AI from Snapchat comes down to how much it bothers you and whether you’re willing to pay to make it go away. The free methods—unpinning and clearing—work well enough for casual users who just don’t want the AI in their face constantly. The paid Snapchat+ route is best for people who genuinely care about privacy or find the AI’s presence unacceptable.
What frustrates me most about this situation isn’t the AI itself—it’s actually pretty capable if you choose to use it. It’s the fact that Snapchat made this choice for us without meaningful input and then monetized the removal. That sets a worrying precedent for how social platforms might handle AI integration moving forward. What’s next? Will Instagram charge us to opt out of AI-generated comments? Will TikTok require payment to disable AI video recommendations?
If you’re still unsure which method to choose, start with the free options. Unpin My AI and see if that’s enough to make it fade into the background of your Snapchat experience. Give it two weeks. If you find yourself still annoyed, still accidentally opening it, still feeling that little spike of irritation every time you see it, then consider whether Snapchat+ offers enough additional value to justify the subscription. For most people, honestly, the free methods are sufficient.
Whatever you decide, remember that your digital experience should work for you, not against you. Don’t be afraid to adjust settings, provide feedback to Snapchat (they do read it, even if they’re slow to respond), and make choices that align with your privacy values. Social media is supposed to enhance our connections, not create new sources of stress or surveillance anxiety.
Take action today: Open Snapchat right now and at minimum unpin My AI from your chat feed. It takes 10 seconds and immediately improves your experience. Then, decide if you need to go further. Your Snapchat, your rules. And if Snapchat doesn’t respect that? Well, you’ve always got Method 4.
