蘑菇AV

Snap doubles down on immersive brand tools: AI Lenses, creator events, and AR vending machines highlight its experiential marketing push.

AI-powered search and AR try-ons promise a smoother buying journey, but with social commerce on the rise, Google has to fight for attention.

Sponsored AI Lenses let users drop into branded scenes via selfies, offering a fast, cost-cutting alternative to AR with higher engagement potential.

AI will become deeply woven into daily life in 2025. Autonomous agents, smart devices, AR glasses, search engines, and digital twins are making AI an ambient presence in how we work, shop, browse, and interact with the world.

Key stat: 66% of US adults are unaware of, haven鈥檛 used, or aren鈥檛 interested in augmented reality (AR) shopping apps as of January 2024, according to a January 2025 蘑菇AV and CivicScience study.

Snap faces ad revenue headwinds despite solid Q4: AI, AR, and creator investments need to deliver as brands seek better ROI in a tight ad market.

As Samsung and Google develop mixed-reality glasses, Apple and Meta refine their ecosystems. Cheaper, lighter devices could finally push AR/VR into the mainstream.

While costly headsets falter, mobile AR is seeing strong momentum. Affordable solutions like Ray-Ban Meta Glasses offer promising pathways for consumer engagement.

Despite economic headwinds and challenges faced by major players, AR and VR adoption is on the rise.

Walmart鈥檚 adaptive retail strategy is heavy on genAI, AR: The retailer is relying on the technologies to deliver personalized experiences, engage Gen Z, and improve customer service.

Microsoft鈥檚 decision reflects declining interest in heavy headsets, with next-gen AR glasses setting the stage for wearable tech鈥檚 future.

Snap introduces new AR glasses and creator tools: Updates include a unified entertainment feed and simplified app experience, positioning Snap to compete with TikTok and Meta.

What this means for Niantic: The company will spin off its tech platform into a new entity, Niantic Spatial, which is built on geospatial AI and AR mapping technology. Niantic will retain ownership of Ingress Prime and Peridot, positioning itself as a leader in AR-driven real-world interactions.

AI and AR shopping tools face consumer hesitancy. Despite significant industry investment in AI and AR shopping technology, consumer adoption remains stubbornly low. Shoppers show a clear preference for traditional methods like size guides and physical returns over newer tech solutions.

Snapchat must leverage its augmented reality capabilities. The platform pioneered AR for consumers at scale, and proving its value to advertisers will require it to highlight this advantage against competitors that haven鈥檛 matched its technical expertise or user adoption in this area.