Meta has started rolling out its AI chatbot inside Threads direct messages, bringing the company's artificial intelligence assistant directly into private conversations on the platform. The move, part of the broader AI race among Big Tech firms, pits Meta's assistant against similar tools from Google, Microsoft, and X while also challenging the decentralized social media alternatives that have gained traction in recent years.
How the AI chatbot works in Threads DMs
The chatbot appears as a contact within the direct messages section of the Threads app. Users can start a conversation with the AI assistant, ask questions, request summaries of threads, or get help drafting replies. Meta has not said whether the chatbot will be available in group chats or only in one-on-one DMs. The company also hasn't detailed what data the AI collects from conversations or how it uses that information to improve its models.
Threads, which Meta launched in July 2023 as a text-based alternative to X (formerly Twitter), has been adding features rapidly. The platform now has more than 150 million monthly active users, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. But it still trails X and TikTok in overall engagement.
The broader AI race among Big Tech
Meta's move comes as every major tech company races to embed AI assistants into their products. Google has its Gemini assistant across Search, Gmail, and Android. Microsoft has Copilot in Office and Windows. X, under Elon Musk, launched its own AI chatbot called Grok, which is available to Premium+ subscribers. Apple is expected to announce its own AI features at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Meta has been particularly aggressive in deploying its AI, called Meta AI, across its family of apps. The company already offers the chatbot on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Adding it to Threads was a logical next step, though the company had initially kept the messaging-focused app separate from its other platforms.
Challenge to decentralized social media
The integration also signals Meta's intent to compete with decentralized social media platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky. Those services, built on open protocols, have positioned themselves as privacy-focused alternatives to Big Tech's walled gardens. But they lack the resources to develop sophisticated AI tools.
By embedding an AI chatbot directly into Threads DMs, Meta offers a feature that decentralized alternatives cannot easily replicate. Mastodon, for example, relies on volunteer-run servers that would struggle to host a large language model. Bluesky, still in beta, has not announced any AI plans.
The move could pressure those platforms to either partner with AI companies or develop their own lightweight models. But it also raises questions about user privacy and data control — two areas where decentralized advocates have long argued their platforms have an edge.
Meta has not set a date for when the AI chatbot will be available to all Threads users. The rollout appears to be gradual, with some users reporting the feature appearing in their app over the past few days. It remains unclear whether the company will offer an opt-out option for those who don't want an AI assistant in their DMs.
