Meta AI surges to 2.7M users after launching video feed

Meta AI’s mobile app has surged to 2.7 million daily active users as of October 17, representing a massive jump from just 775,000 users four weeks earlier. The dramatic growth appears closely tied to the launch of Meta AI’s new “Vibes” feed on September 25, which introduces AI-generated short-form videos to the platform, transforming it from a simple chatbot into a more engaging content experience.

What you should know: Meta AI’s user growth has accelerated dramatically across multiple metrics in recent weeks.

• Daily downloads have increased from fewer than 200,000 per day to approximately 300,000 new downloads daily.
• The app was barely registering in late 2024, with only 4,000 daily downloads.
• Similarweb, a market intelligence platform, found no significant changes in search or ad activity driving the surge, suggesting internal Meta promotions across Facebook or Instagram may be contributing.

The Vibes factor: The timing of Meta AI’s growth surge coincides almost exactly with the launch of its new video feature.

• The Vibes feed launched on September 25, introducing AI-generated short-form films to the app.
• Usage began climbing immediately after the feature went live, according to Similarweb data.
• The feature makes Meta AI feel more like a content platform than a traditional chatbot, capitalizing on the current AI-generated video trend.

Competitive dynamics: Meta AI’s rise comes as other AI platforms experience declining usage.

• As of October 17, Meta AI’s daily active users were up 15.58% worldwide.
• ChatGPT dropped 3.51% during the same period.
• Grok fell 7.35% and Perplexity slipped 2.29%.

The Sora connection: OpenAI’s video generator Sora may have inadvertently boosted Meta AI’s popularity.

• When Sora 2 debuted, it dominated headlines and topped App Store charts, generating massive enthusiasm for AI videos.
• Sora’s invite-only access model may have driven curious users to Meta AI as an accessible alternative.
• While Similarweb can’t confirm a direct connection, the timing suggests OpenAI’s limited rollout strategy may have benefited Meta’s competing platform.