Shares of social network Snapchat (NYSE: SNAP) jumped 6.1% in the afternoon session after a series of positive developments highlighted the company’s progress in artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR).
CEO Evan Spiegel described AI as “probably the best thing that’s ever happened” to Snap, stating it helped the company move faster and build harder-to-replicate advantages.
Adding to the positive sentiment, Snap’s hardware subsidiary, Specs Inc., announced a multi-year strategic agreement with Qualcomm. The partnership will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips to power future generations of Snap’s Spectacles AR glasses, which are expected to launch in 2026. The company also announced a new partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers to bring AR camera experiences to Dodger Stadium, showcasing a practical application of its technology.
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Snap’s shares are very volatile and have had 22 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 18 days ago when the stock dropped 11.4% on the news that a Los Angeles jury found major social media platforms negligent, ruling that their products are designed to be addictive and cause harm to young users. The landmark case involved tech giants Meta and Alphabet, with the jury finding them liable for damages due to the severe negative mental health effects on a young user. Investors were concerned about the potential for increased regulation and costly litigation, which could impact future profitability and force changes to the platforms’ core design and algorithms.
Snap is down 37.2% since the beginning of the year, and at $5.11 per share, it is trading 50.7% below its 52-week high of $10.35 from July 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Snap’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at only $81.76.
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