Meta introduced AI Mode, a new search tab powered by its Muse Spark model that answers questions using information curated from public posts within its apps instead of the broader web. Muse Spark is the company’s first major model developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs, which is headed by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, and debuted in April.
The company wrote:
“AI Mode is a new way to get answers to your questions right on Facebook thanks to Meta AI. From exploring your Feed to searching for something specific, AI Mode uses Meta AI to give you answers grounded in what people are saying publicly across our apps like in Groups and Reels, so you get real perspectives and experiences rather than a generic list of search results.”
Yes, it’s also using the same “AI Mode” name as Google and now Shopify. You’re not imagining things.
I think it’s a great idea for Meta to populate answers from its own trove of user generated content. It’s the biggest way Meta can stand out in the search world, and it’s no different from what Google is doing in partnership with Reddit. However, some are questioning the integrity of its answers and whether we should trust information generated from your crazy uncle’s Facebook posts.
TechCrunch wrote:
“Both AI Mode and Forum’s Ask tab raise a familiar question: How reliable are answers generated from public posts and group chatter? Because the AI is summarizing content from everyday users rather than vetted sources, there’s a real risk of outdated or misleading information slipping through.”
The Verge wrote:
“Things got frustrating with more specific requests. I asked for things to do nearby, and it suggested a swim at the community pool — noting it would be closed over the weekend. It cited a post on the pool’s Facebook page, and the hours listed on the same page. But when I checked the source, nothing suggested that the pool would be closed over the weekend — and the cited post doesn’t seem to exist. The pool’s website also confirms that it’s open Saturday.”
Though to be fair, are Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT’s sources any better? Many of the answers that surface for me on those AI platforms are pulled from Reddit or other community forums anyway. At least Meta has information about the profile that provided the post, a reliability data point that those other platforms don’t have.
Meta’s AI Mode won’t be perfect — no AI is. However, it’s about time that Meta got serious about search, again, especially if they plan on pushing deeper into commerce, again.
