Zuckerberg Thinks AI Might Be Your Next Best Friend
So… is Meta really about to launch a whole army of AI bots inside its apps that’ll talk to us like actual human users?
That’s the buzz. And honestly, it’s not that far-fetched, especially if you’ve been paying attention to how obsessed Zuckerberg’s been lately with all things AI. It seems like he’s getting more and more into the idea that AI bots could be the next big thing to boost interaction and engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and beyond.
Zuck recently sat down with podcaster Dwarkesh Patel, and let’s just say… it gave us some pretty strong hints about where he’s heading with this whole AI thing.
Here’s what he said:
“Today, most of the time spent on Facebook and Instagram is on video, but do you think in five years we’re just going to be sitting in our feed and consuming media that’s just video? No, it’s going to be interactive…”
He’s basically saying: we won’t just be watching stuff—we’ll be talking to it. Imagine scrolling through your feed, and instead of just passively watching a Reel, you could talk to it… and it talks back. Or you jump into it like a game. All powered by—you guessed it—AI.
Wild, right?
But here’s where it gets deeper. He’s not just talking about interactive content. He’s talking about AI bots as companions. Like, actual digital “friends” you might turn to for advice, connection, or just someone to talk to.
In his words:
“People are using Meta AI to talk through difficult conversations… like ‘I’m having this issue with my girlfriend,’ or ‘I need to talk to my boss—how do I say it?’”
And that honestly makes sense. A lot of people already talk to ChatGPT or other bots about life stuff. So Zuckerberg’s thinking: what if we take that a step further? What if AI got to know you better over time—and gave you personalized, emotionally intelligent advice?
And here’s the stat that really made me pause:
“The average American has fewer than three people they would consider friends.”
Yikes. That part hit hard. Zuck says people want more connection than they currently have. And AI bots could potentially help fill that emotional and conversational gap.
So what does that mean for our feeds?
Picture this: you post something. A few of your actual friends comment—but so do a couple of AI profiles. Maybe one’s a life coach-type, one’s super optimistic, one gives a spicy hot take. Not humans, but trained personalities designed to give you engaging responses.
It sounds a lot like the app social.ai, which, by the way, was created by a guy Meta just happened to hire shortly after his app launched. Coincidence? Probably not.
And let’s not forget how big this is getting overseas. In some parts of Asia, brands are already using AI-powered virtual influencers to livestream and interact with customers in real time. Zuck clearly sees this kind of visual, interactive AI as the future of online engagement.
But here’s the thing I can’t stop thinking about:
Yes, AI companions could help people feel less alone. Yes, this could be the next big thing in “social” media. But are we really ready for that?
What about mental health? What about trust? What about the fact that AI still just regurgitates stuff from the internet—and not all of that is accurate, helpful, or even healthy?
And let’s be real: who controls the bots? Who decides what kind of advice or opinions they give? There’s a lot of potential here, but also a lot of power.
So while Meta seems full steam ahead on this AI companionship wave, I can’t help but wonder—will we slow down long enough to ask the hard questions? Or are we going to deal with the consequences after it all rolls out?
Anyway, it definitely looks like AI bots are coming to a feed near you. Whether that’s exciting, weird, or a little bit of both… I guess we’re about to find out.
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Hey there I’m Kylie Simao, owner of a boutique social media marketing agency dedicated to helping new, local and small businesses who want to promote themselves online using social media.