Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is stepping deeper into the AI game. After sprinkling its Meta AI assistant across its social apps, it’s now launching a standalone Meta AI app — kind of like its own version of ChatGPT. This move makes Meta a direct competitor in the increasingly crowded world of AI assistants, where names like ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini already roam.
So… what’s new here?
Until now, Meta’s AI was hanging out inside your social media apps — popping up in your Facebook feed, Instagram DMs, or Messenger chats. But with this new app, Meta AI has its own space. It’s designed to be your go-to digital assistant: you can chat, ask questions, brainstorm ideas, plan trips, or just kill time with a few fun prompts — all in one dedicated place.
Why should you care?
Meta isn’t just another tech company launching an AI chatbot. It has one big advantage: you’ve probably been feeding it information for years. If you’ve liked cat memes on Facebook, posted vacation pics on Instagram, or DM’d your friends about your undying love for oat milk — Meta’s AI already has a sense of your vibe.
That gives Meta a personalized edge. While ChatGPT starts from scratch every time you open a chat, Meta’s AI can tap into what you’ve already shared across its platforms (with your permission, of course). That means it could give you answers or suggestions that are more you.
For example, if you tell Meta AI that you’re lactose intolerant (a crucial bit of info), it’ll remember not to recommend a mac-and-cheese food truck festival when you’re planning your next weekend adventure.
But what about privacy?
Let’s be real — Meta knows a lot about you. That’s what powers its massive ad business. And while the AI app is designed to use your data to be more helpful, it’s worth remembering that this data might also fuel the company’s advertising machine. In other words, the more you share, the smarter the AI gets — but also, potentially, so does Meta’s ability to target ads.
That said, Meta says it gives users control over what the AI can remember, and you can choose what to keep private or delete entirely.
Meet the “Discover” feed
One fun twist in the app? Meta’s adding a Discover feed — a space where users can share how they’re using AI. Picture this: You ask the AI to describe your personality using three emojis, and then you post it for your friends to see. It’s like a mix between AI-generated fun and social sharing.
This feature could spark viral trends — remember when everyone was turning themselves into Barbie dolls or Studio Ghibli characters using AI filters? Yeah, we might see more of that. Whether that’s cool or cringe will depend on your group chat.
And don’t worry: nothing gets shared automatically. If you create something in the app, it stays private unless you decide to post it.
Bottom Line
Meta’s new standalone AI app is part chatbot, part social hub, and part data-powered assistant. It’s designed to offer a more personal experience than most AI apps, thanks to the years of information you may have already shared across Meta’s platforms.
It’s available now in the U.S. and Canada, and if you’re curious to see how AI could actually fit into your day-to-day life — from personalized suggestions to fun emoji quizzes — it might be worth checking out.
Just keep an eye on your privacy settings. You know, the usual dance with Meta.
Meta Just Dropped a Standalone AI App — Here’s What You Need to Know
