Meta has rolled out several new changes to its Facebook and Messenger platforms. These features are in different phases of availability, so you may not see all of them just yet. New features include new "Local" and "Explore" tabs, more immersive "Reels" and more AI tools, in addition to Messenger will be rolling out a feature called "Community" for small and medium-sized groups to connect through common interests.
The new "Local" tab will pull the best local content from Facebook, such as "Marketplaces", "Groups", and "Events". The new label is being tested in Austin, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, and Phoenix.
Another new tab coming soon on Facebook is the Explore tab, where you can find content tailored to your favorite content. Meta says that the algorithms in the Explore tab use a variety of signals to show you what's relevant to you.
The third new feature is a single seamless video tab, which makes it easier for viewers to find Reels and other videos. This will be a full-screen video tab that will seamlessly watch short, long, and live videos in one place. Young people spend 60% of their time watching videos on Facebook, so the video tab will make it easier to consume this content.
Finally, Facebook has also added some artificial intelligence features. First, group admins can turn on group AI, where group members can ask questions to the AI and the AI will provide links to relevant group posts. This feature will initially be available to a small group in the United States and Canada.
A new feature that allows you to invite Instagram followers to events you create on Facebook. You can also send text messages and email invitations to guests, which means anyone can view and respond to an event, whether they're on Facebook or not.
The second AI update shared by Meta is that it has integrated Meta AI to boost creativity. Recently, Meta introduced the Imagine Yourself feature in its feeds and the "Stories" dress up feature on its profile page. Earlier this year, it also launched AI-powered comment summaries from public groups, pages, and creators, making it easier for you to understand what the conversation is about.
To see some of the other smaller updates Facebook rolls out, check out its announcements.