.webp)
It’s no secret that AI is the hottest new technology on the market, meaning Meta was always going to be hopping right on it. The company is in the thick of crafting an array of generative AI tools for its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The aim? To seize the growing user trends and make sure Meta stays ahead of the curve.
The latest announcement from the Social Media giant is the reveal of Instagram's new AI chat feature, which bears resemblance to Snapchat's My AI tool. This addition is part of a broader tapestry of generative AI tools, ranging from AI-driven Facebook ad creation to visual prompt tools for Instagram stickers.
In a sneak peek shared by app analyst Alessandro Paluzzi, we see that Instagram is working on an AI chat option within chat threads. Users will be able to engage with an AI system to ask questions and even receive advice on crafting more effective messages. The convenience of this feature is highlighted by the fact that users won't have to leave the chat to interact with the AI tool.
How does it work? Simply type "@ai" in the chat box, and voilà! You’re rerouted to the AI chatbot which is at your service 24/7. The bot integrates AI-generated responses into the conversation, adding an extra layer to Instagram Direct Messages (DMs).
This development comes at a convenient time for Meta, as Instagram conversations have increasingly been gravitating toward DMs, with a downward trend in Stories and feed posts. The AI chat feature could add some spice to Instagram's messaging by blending in with user behaviours.
Generative AI’s integration into social apps is still in the early days. So far, we've seen text-to-vision prompts and chatbots, but nothing groundbreaking. The Instagram AI messaging feature may well be an intriguing addition, albeit not revolutionary. It's something to play around with, but its practicality remains to be seen.
However, this is a significant step for Meta in terms of bringing generative AI into Instagram.
Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, shared insights on AI through his Instagram channel:“In the short term, we’ll focus on building creative and expressive tools. Over the longer term, we’ll focus on developing AI personas that can help people in a variety of ways. We’re exploring experiences with text (like chat in WhatsApp and Messenger), with images (like creative Instagram filters and ad formats), and with video and multi-modal experiences.”
The AI personas will also be incorporated into Instagram's chat feature. However, whether this will be a strong draw for users remains uncertain.
Meta’s foray into generative AI with Instagram’s new chat feature is an exciting development, but only time will tell if it will morph into a transformative tool or simply be a novel addition.
.png)
.png)
