Threads Meta AI DMs roll out globally as chatbot moves into private chats

Threads Meta AI DMs are rolling out globally starting Monday, Meta said, giving users a private way to chat with the company’s AI assistant inside its X rival. For people watching Meta’s app strategy, the update shows how the company is placing its chatbot closer to daily social activity instead of asking users to open a separate AI app.

Meta AI is an AI chatbot, meaning software that can respond to prompts in a conversation-style format. In Threads DMs, Meta said users can send the assistant Threads posts, images, links and videos, then ask follow-up questions about them.

The feature expands Meta AI beyond public interactions on Threads. TechCrunch reported that some Threads users in selected markets could already interact with Meta AI in public posts, in a format similar to how people use Grok on X. The new DM integration makes those conversations private.

How does Meta AI work in Threads DMs?

Meta said Threads users can share content directly with Meta AI from inside direct messages and continue the conversation with additional questions. That means a user could send the assistant a post, link, image or video and ask for more information or recommendations related to it, according to the company.

The rollout also brings Threads closer to Meta’s other major apps. Meta AI is already available in direct messages on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, according to Meta.

TechCrunch reported that the broader goal is to keep users within Meta’s own apps when they want AI help, rather than pushing them toward outside assistants such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google Gemini. For Meta, that makes Threads more than a feed for short posts. It becomes another place where users can ask questions and get responses without switching apps.

What is happening with Meta AI in Threads feeds?

Meta said it is still testing Meta AI in public Threads feeds in a small number of global markets. The company said it is reviewing feedback before making that public-feed feature more widely available.

Users who want to see fewer Meta AI replies in Threads have a few controls, according to Meta:

• Mute the @meta.ai account.
• Select “Not interested” on a Meta AI post.
• Hide Meta AI replies that appear on their own posts.

The DM launch is separate from that public-feed test. Public replies place Meta AI inside conversations that other users may see, while DMs give users a one-on-one channel with the assistant.

Threads has been positioned by Meta as a competitor to X, and the Meta AI rollout adds another feature to that contest. X has Grok integrated into its own service, while Meta is placing its assistant across its social and messaging products.

Meta said the Threads DM integration begins rolling out globally Monday. The company did not provide additional market-by-market timing in the announcement.

This story draws on original reporting from TechCrunch.