Meta AI comes to Threads private messages, starting today
The chatbot already works in Threads public posts in some countries. Now every user worldwide can have a private conversation with it inside the app.
Key points
- Meta began rolling out Meta AI inside Threads direct messages globally on Monday, 27 July 2026.
- Users can share posts, images, links and videos directly with the chatbot inside a private chat.
- Meta AI already works inside direct messages on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Instagram.
- Users who want less Meta AI in their public feed can mute @meta.ai or tap "Not interested" on any of its posts.
Meta is bringing its AI chatbot, Meta AI, into the private messages of Threads, the social network built to rival X (formerly Twitter). The rollout began Monday and is global from day one.
Until now, Threads users in a handful of countries could tag @meta.ai in public posts, the same way people tag Grok on X. Private conversations weren't an option. That changes today.
What can you actually do with it?
Open a direct message with Meta AI as you would with any contact. Share a Threads post, a photo or a link, ask questions about what you sent, and keep the conversation going without leaving the app.
The goal, as first reported by TechCrunch AI, is to keep people inside Threads rather than switching to a standalone assistant like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Four days ago, we covered Meta AI's expansion into calendar management and daily briefings, so this DM rollout fits a clear pattern: Meta is pushing its assistant into every surface it controls, fast.
Does this affect what you see in your public feed?
Separately, Meta is still testing Meta AI replies in public Threads feeds in select markets, watching user feedback before widening that programme. If you find those public replies annoying, you have four options: mute @meta.ai, tap "Not interested" on any Meta AI post, hide Meta AI replies on your own posts, or ignore them.
Neither setting affects the other; the private-message feature and the public-feed test are controlled independently.
What does this mean for ordinary Threads users?
You now have a built-in research tool inside your messages. Ask it to explain a post you didn't understand, or get restaurant suggestions from a photo someone shared. No separate app needed.
The feature is already familiar to users on Meta's other platforms, so the company isn't asking anyone to learn something new. For Threads specifically, the practical gain is privacy: your conversation with the chatbot isn't visible to followers. What's worth watching is whether Meta uses those private chats to inform ad targeting, something the company hasn't addressed publicly yet.
