Instagram may be working on a chatbot feature based on artificial intelligence (AI). A feature that will allow users to interact with AI agents who can respond to queries, offer advice and compose messages is said to be in development on Meta’s proprietary image and video sharing platform. The discovery comes at a time when multiple apps and websites are scrambling to add support for AI capabilities. Users can also choose from a range of “personalities” when interacting with these AI chatbots Instagram.
According to developer and tipster Alessandro Paluzzi (Twitter: @alex193a), Instagram is working to add AI agents, chatbots that “can answer questions and offer advice.” These chatbots are accessible within chats and appear to be accessible to both participants in a conversation.
Paluzzi shared a screenshot of a pop-up card for the still-development feature, which appears to have been discovered by reverse engineering the app on iOS. The card shows the feature “Chat with an AI” that answers questions and gives advice. It also states that users can “chat with 30 AI personalities” on the platform.
A pop-up card explaining the chat using an AI feature
Photo credit: Twitter/ @alex193a
In addition to these features, the “Chat with AI” feature allows users to get help composing messages, suggesting that the chatbots can act as a generative AI tool. However, Paluzzi hasn’t revealed any details on how the feature, which helps users compose messages, will work.
A second screenshot shared by the developer shows an Instagram chat window with a new one @ai command (with a magic wand icon) that appears to create a chatbot called ” ai_meta. It will appear next to the /quiet Command that allows users to send messages without notifying the recipients.
Instagram and Meta have yet to announce any plans to introduce support for AI chatbots to the platform, and it’s currently unclear when the feature will roll out. As with other unreleased features, it could eventually be released with some changes or discontinued altogether.
Meta is too allegedly plans to release a new decentralized platform codenamed Barcelona later this month to compete with Twitter. The company is said to be testing the text-based app, which will be compatible with services like Mastodon, with some developers and influencers. As with the “Chat with AI” feature, there is no information from the company as to when the new app will be made available to all users.
