Meta is testing a standalone Vibes app, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. Launched last September, Vibes allows you to create and share short AI-generated videos and access a dedicated channel that displays AI videos from others.
Think TikTok or Instagram Reels, but every video you come across is generated by artificial intelligence. Until now, the channel was located in the Meta AI application. By making the Vibes app available outside of the Meta AI app, the company is positioning it as a more direct competitor to Sora, the OpenAI AI-generated video and social media app that launched shortly after Vibes.
“Due to the early emergence of Vibes in Meta AI, we are testing a standalone application to take advantage of this momentum,” Meta said in an emailed statement. “We've noticed that users are increasingly turning to this format to create, discover, and share AI-generated videos with friends. This standalone app provides a dedicated space for these experiences, offering people a more focused and immersive experience. We'll look to continue to develop the app based on what we've learned from the community.”
He was the first to report this news Platformer.
Meta says it doesn't provide specific numbers, but says Vibes is performing well and Meta AI usage has steadily increased since its launch, which it believes signals demand for a standalone app.
The tech giant also notes that while users consume Meta AI content, the standalone app allows for a more focused creation and engagement experience.
Vibes allows users to generate videos from scratch or remix videos they see on their channel. You can add new visual elements, layer music, and customize styles before publishing. You can then post the video directly to your Vibes feed, send it to others, or post it to Stories and Circles on Instagram and Facebook.
Meta says collaboration and sharing are growing in popularity, with many Vibes videos being sent to friends, which the company says reflects how people use Reels.
It's worth noting that last week Meta told TechCrunch that in addition to testing new premium subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, it intends to explore subscriptions to AI features including Vibes.
While the Vibes app has been free since launch, Meta plans to offer freemium access to creating videos in the Vibes app with a subscription option that will unlock additional video creation capabilities each month. Meta plans to launch these test subscriptions in the coming months.
