Meta launches 'AI Mode' on Facebook that pulls from public info across its platforms

Meta announced on Monday a new set of AI features for Facebook aimed at changing how users search for information, create content, and interact with the platform. The highlight is “AI Mode,” a new search method that uses Meta AI to surface answers from public posts across Facebook, including Groups and Reels. Instead of scrolling through search results, users can ask a question in plain language and receive a synthesized answer based on what people are actually discussing. This follows Meta’s quiet launch last month of Forum, a Reddit-style app that includes its own AI “Ask” tab, allowing users to pose questions and get answers drawn from discussions happening across Facebook Groups. Both AI Mode and Forum’s Ask tab raise a familiar question: How reliable are answers generated from public posts and group chatter? Because the AI is summarizing content from everyday users rather than vetted sources, there is a real risk of outdated or misleading information slipping through, a concern that has already been raised about Google’s AI Mode on Reddit. Beyond search, Facebook also added editing tools that let users play with collage cutouts and transition effects for their video montages. Another new feature is AI-powered photo presets, allowing users to change their look with different clothes, hairstyles, and accessories. Sports fans, for instance, can virtually wear their favorite team jerseys just by tapping the “AI Edit” icon in Stories and choosing “Wear It,” or go directly to their profile picture and select “Restyle profile picture with AI” and “Wardrobe.” These updates add to a growing list of AI features Meta has shipped on Facebook in recent months. In February, the company introduced animated profile pictures that bring still photos to life — adding a wave, or placing a virtual party hat on someone’s head. In March, Meta added an AI feature to Facebook Marketplace that automatically replies to buyer messages on sellers’ behalf. Most recently, earlier this month, Facebook launched an AI assistant for creators that offers personalized suggestions — including the best times to post and summaries of what audiences are saying in the comments — based on a creator’s content and performance history. Taken together, the flurry of releases points to a broader strategy: Meta wants Facebook’s AI tools to make the platform stickier and more useful, while also diversifying how it makes money. Alongside these feature rollouts, the company recently launched global subscription plans for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — starting at $3.99 a month — that unlock additional features, with more AI-related subscription tiers reportedly on the way.