Meta is developing new AI agents for its platform, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who made the announcement during the company’s earnings call last week. A report from The Information indicates that the AI agent, currently named “Hatch,” is inspired by the OpenClaw platform and will facilitate functionalities within Meta’s apps and potentially integrate third-party services.
The Hatch agent is being designed to enhance shopping experiences on Instagram, allowing users to purchase items encountered in Instagram Reels. Meta has reportedly tested the agent with simulated versions of services such as DoorDash, Reddit, and Outlook to refine its capabilities.
Additionally, the initiative is part of Meta’s strategy to compete with TikTok Shop, aiming to simplify the purchase process for Instagram users. Recently, Meta enabled creators to tag up to 30 products in a video, which could serve as a precursor to Hatch’s eventual integration.
Zuckerberg expressed a desire for Meta’s agents to be accessible and to effectively understand user needs, stating, “We want to deliver agents that can understand your goals and then work day and night to help you achieve them.” The CEO noted the complexity of OpenClaw, which he described as “exciting” but difficult for most users to set up.
Meta’s pursuit of talent in this area included an attempt to hire the creator of OpenClaw, who declined the offer in favor of joining OpenAI. However, Zuckerberg successfully recruited the founders of Moltbook, an AI agent forum that gained brief popularity.
The rollout of Meta’s agent capabilities is expected to occur closer to the end of 2023. Currently, Meta is testing these agents using Anthropic models, with plans for future development on its Muse Spark model.
There is also potential for integrating the AI agents with Meta’s smart glasses, as suggested by CFO Susan Li. In a recent analyst call, she indicated that the Ray-Ban Meta glasses could provide a suitable format for agentic interactions, though she acknowledged that such capabilities remain in the early stages of development.
