Meta AI has been introduced in Threads direct messages for users globally.

      **TL;DR** Meta AI direct messages are now being made available to all Threads users worldwide. You can engage in private chats with the AI. In five test countries, Meta AI shares content in public feeds, which cannot be blocked, only muted.

      Meta is globally rolling out Meta AI for direct messaging on Threads starting today. Users can now engage in private one-on-one conversations with Meta AI, sharing posts, images, links, and videos, as well as asking follow-up questions and delving into various topics. This feature is similar to what's available on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and was introduced in response to user feedback seeking AI context without public sharing of conversations.

      The more controversial aspect remains unresolved. Meta began testing Meta AI in the public feed on Threads in May, starting with countries like Argentina, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. In these regions, Meta AI creates its own posts and can be mentioned using @meta.ai. However, users cannot block this account; they can only choose “not interested” or mute replies, while AI-generated content continues to appear in their feeds. The introduction of an AI account that cannot be blocked in a social media feed raises concerns about users' ability to opt out of certain features.

      The rollout of DMs is the less contentious part. Engaging with AI in private chats is opt-in, meaning users are not compelled to message Meta AI. Conversely, the presence of AI-generated content in feeds occurs alongside human posts regardless of user preference, with limited options available to decrease its visibility rather than remove it entirely. Meta has also implemented alerts for parents when teenagers discuss self-harm with Meta AI, recognizing the safety responsibilities associated with AI in messaging that were not present in a text-only social feed.

      Since its launch in 2023, Threads has become Meta’s fastest-growing app. Integrating Meta AI into direct messages is part of the company’s strategy to embed its AI assistant across all user engagement platforms. The key question is whether an AI that can be messaged but not blocked from feeds is seen as a useful feature or an unwelcome imposition. Meta seems to be banking on it being a feature, as the inability to block suggests they are not looking to gauge user sentiment on the matter.