Instagram adds an AI assistant to its Edits app that advises users on what to post
The new assistant reads a creator's Instagram metrics and suggests ideas, hooks, captions and audio. It is free up to a limit, with more use tied to a paid Meta One plan.
By Eric Powlesland 3 min read
Instagram is putting an AI adviser inside Edits, its standalone video editing app. The company announced on Wednesday that Edits now includes an AI "creative assistant" that connects to a user's Instagram account, reviews how their posts have performed, and suggests what to change.
As The Verge reported, users can ask the assistant open-ended questions. Examples include what is trending on Instagram, why one video did well and another flopped, or which posts their audience responded to most. The tool draws on figures such as likes, views, shares and how long people kept watching a video. Instagram says it can pick out patterns over time and offer suggestions that the raw numbers alone would not reveal. Users can also ask it for content ideas, ways to hook viewers early, caption wording, trending audio tracks and help writing video scripts.
Instagram is not alone in this. YouTube has also announced updates to its AI-powered creator dashboard, which it first introduced in 2025 and which includes AI editing and A/B testing. The Verge's Mia Sato notes that this marks a shift. Platforms have historically limited or hidden detailed performance data and rarely explained why a post underperformed. Meta also shut down or restricted CrowdTangle, a tool researchers and journalists used to track popular content on its platforms.
The assistant is free up to a usage limit. Meta says "power users" can buy a Meta One subscription to get more use. The source does not say what that subscription costs or exactly where the free limit sits.
What it means for your business
If your business posts on Instagram, especially short videos, this could give you a plain-language way to understand your own numbers. Instead of digging through charts, you can ask why last week's post did better than this week's and get a direct answer. For a small team without a dedicated social media person, that is useful.
A few honest caveats are worth keeping in mind:
- The advice is built for engagement on Instagram. The assistant measures likes, views, shares and watch time. Those are not the same as phone calls, bookings or sales. A post can perform well by Instagram's standards and do little for your business, so keep tracking the results that actually pay the bills.
- Everyone gets similar advice. Sato raises a fair question: if every account follows the same AI guidance, content may start to look the same. For a local business, standing out often comes from being specific and recognisable, not from chasing the same trending audio as everyone else.
- Free may not stay generous. Meta is clearly interested in charging for premium features. If you come to rely on the assistant, you may eventually hit the free limit and face a subscription decision.
- You are sharing your account data with the tool. The assistant works by pulling in your Instagram metrics. That is the point of it, but it is worth knowing before you connect it.
The practical approach is to treat it as a second opinion. Try it on a handful of posts, see whether its suggestions line up with what you know about your customers, and keep what works.
What to watch
Key details are still missing, including the price of Meta One, how much free use is included, and how much the assistant's suggestions actually improve results. It is also worth watching whether Meta and YouTube start reserving their more detailed insights for paying subscribers. Sato warns that could re-create the same old opaqueness creators have long complained about, only behind a paywall.
