Meta AI app usage surges after launch of this AI tool

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Meta AI’s mobile app for iOS and Android has recorded a major jump in downloads and active users following the rollout of its new ‘Vibes’ AI video feed. As per data shared by market intelligence firm Similarweb, the app’s daily active users climbed to 2.7 million by October 17, up from roughly 775,000 just a month earlier. Daily downloads also increased to 300,000 from under 200,000 during the same period.

For context, Meta AI’s app saw only around 4,000 daily downloads a year ago, on October 17, 2024. The spike indicates how rapidly the app has gained traction, particularly since the introduction of its new video-focused feature.

Similarweb’s analysis found no direct evidence linking the growth to ad spending or search traffic. However, the firm noted that Meta could be running in-app promotions through Facebook or Instagram, which its model would not detect. A more likely factor, however, appears to be the September 25 launch of Meta’s Vibes feed — a feature that lets users generate and browse short AI-created videos inside the Meta AI app.

The timing of this launch aligns closely with the surge in usage. The Vibes feed appears to have added a social and creative layer to Meta’s AI ecosystem, encouraging users to engage with AI-generated video content in a more interactive way.

Some analysts believe Meta’s growth may also be tied indirectly to OpenAI’s recent success with its video generator, Sora. When Sora briefly topped the App Store charts, public interest in AI video tools spiked. However, because Sora remains invite-only, many users may have turned to Meta AI as an accessible alternative. This crossover interest could have helped Meta capture a segment of curious users looking to experiment with similar technology.

According to Similarweb, as of mid-October, Meta AI’s daily active users had risen by nearly 15.6% worldwide. In contrast, other AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Grok and Perplexity recorded declines of 3.5%, 7.3% and 2.3% respectively during the same period.

The sharp increase underscores how product innovation and timely feature launches can quickly shift user attention in the fast-moving AI app ecosystem. For Meta, the success of the Vibes feed could signal growing interest in AI-generated entertainment beyond text-based experiences.