Meta is testing a standalone app for AI-generated “Vibes” videos

Meta is testing a standalone Vibes app, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. Launched last September, Vibes lets you create and share short AI-generated videos and access a personalized feed featuring AI videos from others.

Think TikTok or Instagram Reels, but every video you come across is generated by artificial intelligence. Until now, streaming has been in the Meta AI app. By making Vibes available outside of the Meta AI app, the company positions it as a more direct competitor to Sora, the AI-powered video and social app from OpenAI that launched shortly after Vibes.

“Following strong early uptake of Vibes within Meta AI, we are testing a standalone app to build on this momentum,” Meta said in an email statement. “We’ve seen users increasingly curate to create, discover, and share AI-generated videos with friends. This standalone app provides a personalized place for that experience, providing people with a more focused and immersive environment. We will look to expand the app further based on what we learn from the community.”

The news was first reported by Platformer.

Meta says it doesn’t share specific numbers but claims Vibes has performed well, with use of Meta AI continuing to grow steadily since its launch, which it believes indicates demand for a standalone app.

The tech giant also notes that while users interact with content in Meta AI, the standalone app allows for a more creativity- and engagement-focused experience.

Vibes allows users to create a video from scratch or remix a video they see in their feed. Before publishing, you can add new visuals, layer music, and adjust styles. You can then post the video directly to your Vibes feed, send it via direct message to others, or co-post it to Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels.

Meta says collaboration and sharing are on the rise, with many Vibes videos being sent to friends, which the company says reflects how people use Reels.

It’s worth noting that Meta told TechCrunch last week that in addition to testing new premium subscriptions across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, it will explore subscriptions for AI features, including Vibes.

Although Vibes has been free since launch, Meta plans to provide free access to Vibes video creation, with the option to subscribe to unlock additional video creation opportunities each month. Meta plans to launch these beta subscriptions in the coming months.