Remember those spooky sci-fi movies you’d watch as a kid where the robots controlled the world? Well, put your space suit on, the future is here. Social media platforms are more and more embracing AI – this means some big computer brain in the sky is making the decisions on what content to feed people based on their likes, how many times they share, how much of a video they watch, and who knows what else! Yep, like it or not, the robots are in the driving seat.
As scary as this may seem (or exciting if you trust technology) – it’s good news for cam models. The old days of only reaching a small social circle with your content are becoming the distant past. Creators now can get their work seen by users they’ve never even had contact with – which means more opportunity to build your fanbase. The driver of this AI movement is TikTok whose success was built on top notch algorithms. And now, Meta (Instagram’s parent) is taking a cue from the new kid on the block – it’s either that or be left in the dust.
New “Follow” tab Function on Instagram Reels being tested in India.
As reported on by Social Media Today, Instagram Reels is testing a new “Follow” tab function in India which will use algorithms to suggest content to users. They stated that it “mirrors TikTok’s ‘Following’ and ‘For You’ feed approach, with the algorithmically recommended clips in ‘For You’ enabling the app to showcase a much broader range of popular video clips.”
From its infancy, Meta concentrated on building a trillion-dollar business by connecting friends, family, and acquaintances with little ability to reach outside audiences. It worked, but things have changed. People now want to see curated content other than just their followers as proven by TikTok’s model. Recognizing they’re a little late to the game Meta’s now ratcheted up their commitment to AI as evidenced in their last earnings call.
Meta sent a strong message on their commitment to AI at their first quarter earnings call.
CEO, Mark Zuckerberg explained how important short-form video was to the future health of Instagram with Reels making up 20% (and growing) of the time people spend on the platform. He then discussed why AI was needed to achieve their goals: “In the future, I think that people will increasingly turn to AI-based Discovery Engines to entertain them, teach them things, and connect them with people who share their interests. I believe our investments in AI, all the different types of content we support, and our work to build the best platforms for creators to make a living will increasingly set our services apart from the rest of the industry and drive our success.”
I’m betting the Instagram Reels Follow update will work well in India and soon be here. Regardless, this is only the beginning. More AI technology will be expected on all platforms which is sure to help creators push content to new audiences.
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Alyssa Collins hails from Minnesota, where snowy days were the perfect excuse to stay warm inside and write. Over the years, she turned that joy into a career and has authored numerous articles for various publications (under pen names). Email Alyssa via alyssa@ynot.com.
Image by Alex Knight via Pexels.com.
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