Meta on June 15 announced a wave of new AI features for Facebook, headlined by “AI Mode” — a revamped search experience that uses Meta AI to synthesize answers from public posts, Groups, and Reels rather than returning a list of links. Users ask questions in plain language and receive a generated summary of what people are actually discussing on the platform. The launch follows Meta’s quiet rollout last month of Forum, a Reddit-style app whose own “Ask” tab draws on Facebook Groups discussions in a similar fashion. Meta also added AI-powered photo presets that let users virtually change their outfit, hairstyle, or accessories: sports fans can try on a team jersey by tapping “AI Edit” in Stories and selecting “Wear It,” or restyle a profile picture directly. Additional new tools include collage cutouts and transition effects for video montages.
The AI Mode feature raises the same reliability questions that have dogged similar products elsewhere: because answers are generated from everyday user posts rather than verified sources, outdated or misleading information can surface — a concern already being raised about Google’s own AI Mode. The Facebook updates are part of a faster cadence of AI releases Meta has maintained since February, when it introduced animated profile pictures, followed by an AI marketplace auto-reply in March and an AI creator assistant for performance insights earlier this month. Alongside the feature push, Meta recently launched subscription plans for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp starting at $3.99 a month, with more AI-specific subscription tiers reportedly in the works — pointing to a strategy of using AI both to deepen engagement and to diversify revenue beyond advertising.