Meta is updating its Facebook Reels algorithm to prioritize 50% more recent content, aiming to boost user engagement and retention after reporting a 20% year-over-year growth in video watch time. The platform is also integrating new AI-powered search tools and social features to enhance user experience and connection. Notably, Meta will treat AI-generated content similarly to human-generated content within feeds, relying on user signals for personalization, reflecting a strategic adaptation to the increasing volume of AI media while focusing on core user interaction.
Facebook is trying to help you see Reels you're actually interested in, rather than random videos. The algorithm update will prioritize newer content, showing you 50% more Reels that were posted on the same day you're scrolling. Along with a new AI-powered search tool, Facebook said it wants to return to its roots to connect you with friends and family. In an exclusive interview, Facebook's vice president of product, Jagjit Chawla, told CNET that users have been requesting their feeds show them more recent videos. Facebook's own internal testing found that doing so would help keep users returning to the app. Video is one of the most common ways people use Facebook, with the company reporting that video watch time has grown 20% year over year. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. Facebook Reels is also adding AI-powered search suggestions, similar to the gray search suggestions that appear at the bottom of TikTok videos. (This is different from Meta's news earlier this month that it will use your AI interactions for personalized ads and content recommendations beginning on Dec. 16.) These suggestions, powered by AI and machine learning tech, recommend search queries based on interests you've shown. Facebook Reels are also getting friend bubbles similar to Instagram -- those small icons of your friend's profile picture that float in the lower left corner of posts they've liked. You can tap their profile picture and instantly start a DM. The feature could be especially helpful for Facebook Reels users, as there isn't currently a dedicated Reels feed of your friends' videos, unlike on Instagram. AI in our feeds vs. behind the scenes Chawla said AI-generated content, like videos created by OpenAI's Sora or Midjourney, is treated the same as human-generated content when it comes to serving them in users' Facebook Reels feeds. "If you, as a user, are interested in a piece of content which happens to be AI-generated, the recommendations algorithm will determine that, over time, you are interested in this topic and content," Chawla said. "If you are not into it, which, for lack of a better term, there is a set of users who would consider that content AI slop, and if you have given us signals that this is not for you, that algorithm will respond appropriately to make sure we don't show you more of that." AI-edited or created content has become more commonplace on social media platforms, thanks to the rise of AI image and video generators. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has been quick to integrate AI on its social platforms, to the dismay of many users. Generative AI companies like Midjourney and OpenAI have also made it easier and faster than ever to create realistic-looking content, sparking concerns about misinformation and copyright infringement. On Meta's platforms, users have the option to add labels to AI-generated content, and Meta also has its own labels. But AI detection is far from perfect. If you don't want to see AI content, it's important to send negative signals to platforms. The same is true for any content you don't want to see. Chawla said from an algorithm point of view, users tend to give more positive signals, by liking, commenting or sharing. So when Facebook does receive a negative signal -- you tapping the "Not Interested" button, for example -- Facebook will "take that a lot more seriously from an algorithm standpoint," Chawla said. For a long time, creators trying to hack the algorithm have had to quickly adapt to an ever-changing set of rules to ensure their content makes it into our feeds. But with more AI-powered automation working behind the scenes to create our feeds, and growing amounts of AI content, ultimately, the content that's most likely to break through the noise is authentic and human-driven. "Technology will obviate the lines between whether it was long or short [form video] or horizontal or live, or any of that," Chawla said. "When I talk to both sides, users and creators, I [say], do your thing, and the responsibility and the heavy lift is on technology that we will figure out. As AI advances, it's just making our job easier." Facebook (META) is updating its Reels algorithm to prioritize 50% more recent content, responding to user demand and aiming to boost engagement and retention. This strategic shift, supported by internal testing, follows a 20% year-over-year growth in video watch time, underscoring video's increasing centrality to the platform's user experience. The company seeks to reinforce its core mission of connecting users through more relevant and timely content. New AI-powered search suggestions and "friend bubbles" for direct messaging are also being introduced to enhance discovery and social interaction within Reels. These features are designed to create a more personalized and interactive environment, leveraging Meta's broader AI integration efforts across its social platforms. Jagjit Chawla, VP of Product, highlighted that these technological advancements aim to simplify user and creator experiences. Significantly, Meta will treat AI-generated content similarly to human-generated content within Reels feeds, with personalization driven by user signals. The algorithm will heavily weight negative feedback, such as "Not Interested" actions, to refine content delivery. This approach reflects Meta's adaptation to the proliferation of generative AI while focusing on maintaining content relevance and managing user preferences.
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