Meta Tests AI-Powered Instagram Search Bar for Enhanced User Experience

Meta Experiments with Generative AI on Instagram for Enhanced User Experience

Meta is forging ahead with its mission to expand the reach of its generative AI-powered offerings to a broader user base. In addition to piloting the Meta AI chatbot with WhatsApp users in regions such as India, the tech giant is also exploring the integration of Meta AI into the Instagram search bar, enabling both AI-powered chat interactions and content discovery.

Conversing with Meta AI through Instagram Search

By entering a query in the Instagram search bar, users are directed to a conversation with Meta AI within their Direct Messages (DM). From there, they can pose questions or utilize pre-loaded prompts to engage with the AI. Interestingly, the design of the prompt screen caught the attention of Perplexity AI’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, who noted its resemblance to the startup’s own search screen interface.

Generative AI for Content Discovery on Instagram

Beyond facilitating conversations, Meta AI also has the potential to revolutionize content discovery on Instagram. As demonstrated in a Threads video shared by a user, tapping on a prompt like “Breathtaking Bali sunset Reels” initiates a search for relevant Reels on that subject.

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Furthermore, several users who engaged with The Zero Byte were able to request Meta AI to provide Reels suggestions, indicating Meta’s intention to harness generative AI not only for text generation but also for surfacing fresh content from networks like Instagram.

Meta Confirms Meta AI Experiment on Instagram

In a statement to The Zero Byte, Meta verified its ongoing Meta AI experiment on Instagram. However, the company refrained from specifying whether generative AI technology is being employed in the search functionality.

“Our generative AI-powered experiences are under development in varying phases, and we’re testing a range of them publicly in a limited capacity,” a Meta spokesperson told The Zero Byte.

Improving Instagram Search and Discoverability

The internet is rife with discussions about the subpar quality of Instagram’s search feature, as evidenced by numerous Reddit posts and articles. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that Meta is exploring the use of generative AI to enhance search capabilities on the platform.

Moreover, Meta likely aims to surpass TikTok in terms of content discoverability. In the previous year, Google introduced a new perspectives feature that incorporates results from Reddit and TikTok. Just this week, reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi observed on X that Instagram is developing an option called “Visibility off Instagram,” potentially allowing posts to appear in search engine results.