Meta may soon introduce AI agents in Instagram to shop, post on your behalf

Meta is reportedly developing a new AI assistant called Hatch that could help users manage tasks, shopping and content across Instagram, Facebook and other platforms

Meta is reportedly working on a new AI-powered assistant designed to help users complete tasks across its social media platforms. According to a report from MediaPost citing The Information, the company is developing a personalised “agentic” AI system that could eventually handle activities such as research, shopping, content generation and other day-to-day tasks automatically. The project, internally referred to as “Hatch,” is said to be part of Meta’s broader push into advanced AI systems and autonomous assistants.

What is Meta’s Hatch AI assistant?

According to the report, Hatch is being developed using Meta’s latest multimodal reasoning AI model called “Muse Spark,” which comes from the company’s Superintelligence Labs division. The assistant is expected to work more independently than traditional chatbots by carrying out tasks for users instead of simply answering questions.

 

 

The reports suggest the project is being positioned as Meta’s response to OpenAI’s OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent designed to help users manage tasks such as coding, research and more. Unlike traditional chatbots, OpenClaw is built to act more independently and can run locally on devices instead of relying entirely on cloud servers. The platform supports integrations with apps and messaging services, allowing users to automate actions across different tools. 

 

According to The Information, Meta plans to complete internal testing for Hatch by the end of June. The report also claimed that a separate AI-powered shopping assistant could be integrated into Instagram by the end of 2026. The shopping-focused AI tool is expected to help users discover products and automate parts of the buying process directly within Instagram. 

 

Meta’s AI plans go beyond chatbots

 

Reports around Hatch surfaced shortly after Meta acquired Moltbook, an AI-focused social network built around autonomous agents. As previously reported, Moltbook was designed as a platform where AI agents could operate similarly to social media users by creating profiles, sharing content, and interacting autonomously. The acquisition is reportedly part of Meta’s broader push toward agentic AI systems that can perform tasks independently across its platforms.

 

According to the Financial Times, Connor Hayes, Vice President of product for generative AI at Meta, said AI agents on Meta’s platforms could eventually operate similarly to user accounts, complete with profile pictures, bios and AI-generated content.

 

The reports also noted that Meta may use AI to automate parts of its advertising business. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly been pushing for faster execution of marketing and ad-related tasks using AI systems.

 

AI assistants for everyday tasks

 

Meta is also reportedly exploring ways to bring agentic AI assistants directly to users. During the company’s latest earnings call, Zuckerberg reportedly said Meta wants to build AI agents capable of understanding users’ goals and helping them achieve those goals over time. He described Hatch as a possible “personal agent” that could support users in different aspects of daily life rather than acting only as a chatbot or search tool.