Snap’s CBO Sees AR and Private Messaging as the Path Beyond the Smartphone

Snap’s Ajit Mohan on the Shift from Public Feeds to Private, AR-Enhanced Spaces

Snap is betting that the era of performative social media—public feeds, highlight reels and endless scrolls—is winding down. In a podcast interview, Chief Business Officer Ajit Mohan described a future dominated by private messaging, augmented reality and wearable devices that keep users’ heads up rather than buried in a smartphone.

Mohan argued that users increasingly crave authenticity and real connection, driving a migration toward private chats with people they truly care about. That shift, he said, gives platforms like Snap—already built around ephemeral, one-to-one messaging—a natural advantage. The company intends to deepen that positioning by layering AR and conversational AI directly into the messaging experience.

Hardware plays a central role. Snap continues to invest in Spectacles, its AR glasses, with the goal of creating a “full stack” that augments the physical world rather than distracting from it. Mohan suggested that by combining wearables, software and AI, Snap can offer a new computing canvas where digital content overlays the real environment—enabling everything from gaming to brand discovery without a phone in hand.

What Mohan’s Vision Signals for Social Media, Advertising and Tech Rivals

Snap’s Messaging Bet vs. the Meta and TikTok Juggernauts

Mohan’s emphasis on private messaging isn’t new for Snap, but it gains urgency as Meta pours resources into WhatsApp and Messenger while TikTok experiments with more direct communication. Snap’s differentiator—disappearing content that lowers the pressure of permanence—positions it against algorithmic feeds. However, monetizing private spaces without alienating users is delicate; AI agents that assist in conversations are the proposed solution, and Snap’s ability to roll them out effectively will be watched closely by both advertisers and competitors.

Wearables as a Long-Term Hardware Gamble

Investing in AR glasses is a costly, multi-year bet against the dominance of the smartphone. Mohan framed Spectacles not as a phone replacement but as a tool that makes digital interaction more contextual and less isolating. For marketers, this introduces an entirely new surface for brand experiences—imagine a lens that places a product in the user’s field of view as they walk past a store. But the hardware has yet to prove mass adoption, and Apple’s Vision Pro, despite being a different form factor, has set a high benchmark for mixed-reality experiences. Snap’s challenge is to make its glasses affordable, fashionable and indispensable.

Authenticity as a Commercial Differentiator

The interview underscored a belief that the “highlight reel” culture of platforms like Instagram is fading. If true, brands that thrive on aspirational content may need to rethink their strategies. Snapchat’s more intimate environment could attract advertisers looking to build deeper, trust-based interactions—but it will also require a new creative language, moving from polished ads to experiences that feel native to private conversation. Mohan’s talk of “neutral distribution platforms” hints at Snap positioning itself as a middle layer for AI-assisted commerce rather than a traditional ad server.

For Brands and Advertisers: Preparing for Snap’s Post-Phone Playbook

• Experiment with AR-powered conversational ads: With Snap exploring AI agents inside chats, brands should test prototype campaigns that blend utility (e.g., order tracking, product Q&A) with discovery. Early movers may gain preference when these features launch commercially.
• Watch Spectacles dev-kit updates: Any evolution of Snap’s wearables to a broader developer ecosystem will signal viable advertising real estate. Creative agencies should begin exploring 3D asset pipelines now to be ready for immersive AR formats that overlay the physical world.
• Rethink persona-driven content: The shift toward authenticity means glossy, influencer-driven feeds may underperform in Snap’s private-messaging ecosystem. Brands should prototype real-time, less polished interactions—live Q&As, behind-the-scenes streams—that suit the platform’s intimate tone.