Meta is once again experimenting with artificial intelligence in its social media platforms, this time by testing AI-generated comments on Instagram.
The new feature, spotted by social media tester Jonah Manzano, allows users to receive AI-suggested responses when commenting on posts.
Manzano, a frequent tester of new social media features, discovered a “Write with Meta AI” prompt on Instagram. Users who have access to the feature will see a pencil icon next to the comment text bar, which they can tap to generate suggested responses. According to a video posted by Manzano, Meta AI analyzes the photo before providing three comment suggestions. For example, an image of a person smiling with a thumbs-up in their living room may prompt suggestions such as, “Cute living room setup,” “Love the cozy atmosphere,” or “Great photo shoot location.” Users can refresh the suggestions if they are unsatisfied with the initial options.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the test in an email to TechCrunch, stating, “We regularly test more features for you to use Meta AI across our apps. Outside of DMs, you will find Meta AI there for you in areas like comments, feed, groups, and search to make your experiences more fun and useful.” However, the company did not specify when or if the feature would be widely rolled out.
The move follows previous AI integrations by Meta, including AI-generated characters with unique profiles and personalities, which were ultimately scrapped after being deemed unnecessary and unsettling by users. Similarly, Meta tested AI-generated comment summaries on Facebook last year.
Despite Meta’s push for AI-enhanced interactions, many users are likely to resist the idea of automated comments, arguing that genuine interactions should remain human-driven. Critics have expressed concerns that AI-generated responses could contribute to a decline in authenticity on Instagram, a platform where users increasingly long for more personal and meaningful engagement rather than AI-crafted interactions.
As with any test feature, Meta has not disclosed whether this tool will become a permanent addition to Instagram.
