Meta has announced that starting December 16, users’ interactions with its artificial intelligence chatbot will be used to refine ad targeting across its platforms. The company, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, says this move will make advertising and content recommendations more personalized based on what users discuss with its AI.
Currently, Meta targets ads using user activity—posts, likes, clicks, and connections. However, with this update, the company will also analyze direct chatbot conversations, which could include shopping interests, travel plans, or personal challenges that products might solve. This means if someone chats about hiking gear or vacation ideas, they could start seeing more related ads and posts across Meta’s platforms.
Meta stated that the change is part of an ongoing effort to make user experiences more relevant. “Just like other personalized services, we tailor the ads and content you see based on your activity, ensuring your experience evolves as your interests change,” the company explained.
How It Will Work
The AI-driven personalization will extend beyond ads. Conversations with Meta AI will also influence what kind of content appears on feeds. For example, if a user frequently chats about hiking, the platform may display more hiking-related content. However, this raises privacy concerns about how Meta will manage sensitive topics such as health or personal relationships that users might discuss with the AI.
Meta has stated that it will not use conversations about religion, sexuality, political beliefs, race, or health to serve targeted ads, maintaining compliance with its broader advertising policy. However, ads connected to these subjects may still appear on the platform—they just won’t be personalized based on chatbot interactions.
Expanding Meta’s AI Influence
Meta AI reportedly has around one billion monthly users across its apps, though engagement levels vary. Users can access the chatbot through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or the dedicated Meta AI app.
This expansion into AI-based personalization aligns with a broader industry shift toward conversational shopping and search. Tech companies are betting that users will increasingly rely on chatbots rather than search engines or traditional browsing to discover products. For example, OpenAI recently enabled users to buy select items directly through ChatGPT.
Meta continues to dominate the digital advertising market, earning $46.5 billion in ad revenue last quarter—an increase of over 21% from the same period a year earlier. Its market capitalization reached $1.8 trillion by early October, showing investor confidence in its AI and advertising strategy.
User Control and Privacy
Meta will still allow users to adjust their advertising preferences through existing settings, where they can manage topics for personalized ads. Similar controls exist for Facebook and Instagram content feeds.
Despite these options, users and privacy advocates have expressed concerns. Earlier, some users mistakenly made private AI chats public through a feed called “Discover,” which Meta has since replaced with “Vibes,” a scrolling stream of AI-generated videos. The company has since introduced warnings before users share AI-generated content publicly.
With the new policy, casual conversations could soon shape not only what users see but also what they are encouraged to buy. So, if you spend too much time watching AI-generated videos of dogs on “Vibes,” expect a sudden flood of pet product ads across your Meta apps.
