Meta is betting big on generative AI โ and not just for chatbots. The tech giant is experimenting with using AI to supercharge content discovery and search on Instagram.
The company has already been testing its Meta AI chatbot on WhatsApp in countries like India. But now, Meta is going a step further by integrating the AI directly into Instagramโs search function.
Some users are reporting seeing a new โChat with AIโ option pop up when they tap the search bar. This opens up a direct message conversation with Metaโs AI, allowing you to ask it questions or use pre-written prompts.
But the AI integration doesnโt stop at answering queries. Meta seems to be exploring using generative AI to actively surface new Instagram content for users as well.
For example, some people are seeing prompts like โBeautiful Maui sunset Reelsโ that, when tapped, populate a feed of relevant Reels matching that description. Users are even able to ask the AI assistant to directly recommend Reels on certain topics.
Itโs a clear signal that Meta wants generative AI to play a major role in content curation and discovery across its platforms, not just open-ended conversation.
The potential benefits are obvious โ Instagramโs content discovery has long been criticised for being subpar compared to the almost eerily good algorithms of TikTok. Tapping into generative AI could give Meta a serious edge in understanding media semantics and user interests.
There are also hints that Meta may be preparing to make Instagram posts more discoverable in web search results, potentially using generative AI to enhance metadata tagging and extrapolate searchable content details.