Meta is betting big on artificial intelligence, and its latest move proves the tech giant isn’t just following trends it’s creating them.
The social media behemoth has officially launched Vibes, an AI-powered video feed, across Europe through its Meta AI app. This expansion comes just six weeks after the feature debuted in the United States, marking a significant acceleration in Meta’s AI ambitions. But Vibes isn’t just another feature it’s a fundamental reimagining of how we create, share, and consume content in the digital age.
What Exactly Is Vibes?
Think TikTok meets artificial intelligence. Vibes is a dedicated feed within Meta’s AI app where every single video you encounter is generated by artificial intelligence. Users can create short-form videos from simple text prompts, remix existing content, add music, and adjust visual styles all without picking up a camera.
The platform represents Meta’s vision of “an inherently social and collaborative creation experience,” according to the company’s official announcement. Users are encouraged to remix, co-create, and build stories together with friends. Finished creations can be shared directly within the Vibes feed, sent to friends, or cross-posted to Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels.
The Technology Behind the Magic
At the heart of Vibes lies sophisticated AI technology that transforms natural language into visual content. The system learns user preferences over time, personalizing the feed to match individual interests. This adaptive approach means the more you interact with Vibes, the better it understands what kind of content resonates with you.
The creation process is remarkably straightforward. Users input imaginative prompts describing the video they want to create. The AI then generates the content, which can be further customized with additional visuals, music layers, or style adjustments. This democratization of video creation removes traditional barriers like expensive equipment, technical expertise, or even basic filming skills.
Meta’s Broader AI Strategy
Vibes doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of Meta’s comprehensive push to integrate AI across every aspect of its operations. The company has been reorganizing product development around AI assistants, including Metamate a ChatGPT-style bot trained on internal data and Devmate, a coding assistant that incorporates multiple large language models.
According to Business Insider, Meta’s product managers are now using “vibe coding” to rapidly prototype apps and present them directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Joseph Spisak, a product director in Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, revealed at the TechEquity AI Summit that “PMs are actually vibe coding products, and we’re showing them to Zuck and leadership, and it’s allowing us to iterate and explore the space really fast.”
This approach has dramatically accelerated Meta’s development cycle. “We can literally vibe code products in a matter of hours, days, and explore the space,” Spisak explained. The company tracks employee AI usage through dashboards, sets adoption targets, and even runs an internal game called Level Up that rewards staff who hit AI milestones.
The Numbers Tell a Story
Meta’s investment in AI-generated content appears to be paying off at least in terms of usage metrics. The company reports that over 20 billion images have been created using its AI tools. Since launching Vibes in the United States, media generation within the Meta AI app has jumped more than tenfold.
These impressive statistics suggest users are embracing AI-powered creativity, even if public sentiment remains mixed. The rapid adoption indicates that once people overcome initial skepticism, the ease and novelty of AI-generated content proves compelling.
A Controversial Reception
Not everyone is thrilled about Meta’s AI-generated video feed. When CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Vibes in September, the response on social media was decidedly lukewarm if not outright hostile.
One of the top comments on Zuckerberg’s announcement post read: “gang nobody wants this.” Another popular response stated: “Bro’s posting ai slop on his own app.” Yet another commenter wrote: “I think I speak for everyone when I say: What….?”
The term “AI slop” has emerged as internet shorthand for low-quality AI-generated content that floods social media platforms. Critics worry that Vibes will accelerate this trend, replacing authentic human creativity with algorithmically generated material that lacks soul or genuine artistic vision.
The Authenticity Paradox
Meta’s embrace of AI-generated content creates an interesting contradiction. Earlier this year, the company advised creators to focus on “authentic storytelling” and address “unoriginal” content. This guidance came as part of Meta’s efforts to improve content quality across its platforms.
Now, with Vibes, Meta is essentially creating a dedicated space for content that is, by definition, not authentically human. This apparent reversal has raised eyebrows among creators and industry observers who question whether AI-generated videos can ever truly be “authentic.”
The tension between encouraging human creativity and promoting AI-generated content reflects a broader challenge facing the tech industry. How do platforms balance innovation with authenticity? Can AI-enhanced creativity coexist with traditional artistic expression?
Competition Heats Up
Meta isn’t alone in the AI video generation space. Just days after Meta launched Vibes in the United States, OpenAI released Sora, a social media platform dedicated to creating and sharing AI-generated videos. Unlike Meta’s integrated approach, OpenAI has separated its AI video experience into a standalone app.
Notably, Sora isn’t yet available in the European Union, giving Meta a temporary advantage in the European market. This geographic head start could prove significant as users develop habits and preferences around AI video creation tools.
The competition between Meta and OpenAI highlights how quickly the AI video generation market is evolving. Both companies recognize that whoever captures user attention and loyalty in this emerging space could dominate the next generation of social media.
The European Expansion
Meta’s European launch of Vibes comes through the new Meta AI app, which consolidates several AI-powered features in one place. Beyond Vibes, the app includes Meta’s AI assistant, image generation and animation tools, image editing capabilities, and management features for Meta’s AI glasses.
This integrated approach positions the Meta AI app as a comprehensive creative hub rather than a single-purpose tool. Users can chat with the AI assistant for information or inspiration, generate and edit images, manage their AI glasses content, and create AI videos all within the same application.
The European rollout demonstrates Meta’s confidence in the Vibes concept despite mixed initial reactions. By expanding internationally just six weeks after the U.S. launch, Meta is moving aggressively to establish Vibes as a mainstream feature before competitors can gain traction.
Implications for Content Creators
For traditional content creators, Vibes represents both opportunity and threat. On one hand, the tool dramatically lowers barriers to video creation. Creators can quickly prototype ideas, generate supplementary content, or experiment with concepts that would be too time-consuming or expensive to produce traditionally.
On the other hand, the flood of AI-generated content could make it harder for human creators to stand out. If anyone can generate professional-looking videos with a few text prompts, what value does traditional creative skill provide? This question will likely shape creator strategies in the coming years.
Some creators may embrace AI tools as productivity enhancers, using them to augment rather than replace human creativity. Others may double down on authenticity, emphasizing the human touch as a differentiator in an increasingly AI-saturated landscape.
The Vibe Coding Revolution
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Meta’s AI push is the concept of “vibe coding” using AI-assisted coding through natural language instructions. This approach is transforming how Meta develops products internally and could signal broader changes in the tech industry.
Spisak noted that Meta’s internal systems are now powerful enough for non-engineers to adjust interfaces on the fly, allowing developers to “change colors and change ideas” without traditional coding expertise. He even mentioned that his 11-year-old daughter now vibe codes new environments to play in Roblox.
“This is what I tell PMs at Meta and other places where I mentor PMs,” Spisak said. “Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.”
Vibe coding skills have become a recruiting priority across the tech industry. Companies like Reddit and DoorDash now list experience with AI coding tools as desired skills, and at least one Y Combinator startup calls vibe coding “non-negotiable” for new hires.
Looking Ahead
Meta has made clear that Vibes is just the beginning. The company plans to continue expanding the Meta AI app’s features and capabilities, with a goal of bringing “even more personalized, social, and advanced content creation to even more people around the world.”
This commitment suggests we’ll see ongoing improvements to video quality, more sophisticated customization options, and potentially integration with other Meta products and services. The company’s track record of iterating rapidly on successful features means Vibes could evolve significantly in the coming months.
The success or failure of Vibes will likely influence how other tech companies approach AI-generated content. If users embrace the platform despite initial skepticism, expect competitors to rush similar features to market. If Vibes struggles to gain traction, it could signal that audiences aren’t ready for fully AI-generated social feeds.
The Bigger Picture
Vibes represents more than just a new feature it’s a test case for the future of social media. As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, the line between human-created and AI-generated content will continue to blur. Platforms must navigate complex questions about authenticity, creativity, and the role of technology in human expression.
Meta’s willingness to push forward with Vibes despite mixed reactions demonstrates the company’s belief that AI-generated content will become mainstream. Whether users ultimately agree remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the conversation about AI’s role in creative expression is just getting started.
For now, European users can download the Meta AI app and explore Vibes for themselves. Whether they’ll embrace this new form of AI-powered creativity or reject it as “AI slop” will help determine the future direction of social media and digital content creation.
Sources
- Meta’s product managers are vibe coding prototype apps and showing them to Mark Zuckerberg – Business Insider
- Meta launches AI video feed “Vibes” in Europe through its Meta AI app – The Decoder
- Meta brings its AI video Playground Vibes to Europe – Dataconomy
- Bringing Vibes to Europe: A New Way to Create, Share, and Play in the Meta AI App – Meta Newsroom
- Meta brings its short-form video feed of AI slop to Europe – TechCrunch
