Meta prepares AI agent 'Hatch' and automated shopping on Instagram

Meta is targeting the artificial intelligence agent sector by developing Hatch, an in-house project aimed at creating a system capable of operating autonomously on behalf of the user. Unlike traditional chatbots that merely generate text or answer questions, this new technology aims to perform complex tasks and navigate digital systems without constant supervision.

The strategy of Mark Zuckerberg seems to be geared towards transforming interactions on its platforms into proactive processes, where artificial intelligence takes on the role of a digital assistant with real decision-making capabilities.

In a market increasingly crowded by the presence of players such asOpenAI, Google and Anthropic, the Menlo Park-based company is relying on the strength of its own widespread distribution. Hatch's competitive advantage lies in its native integration within an ecosystem that includes WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, realities that already host billions of active users.

This privileged position allows Meta to bypass the need to create new consumer habits by embedding the AI agent directly into everyday communication tools and exploiting the LLaMA family of templates to ensure a solid and already proven technical basis internally.

In parallel, Instagram is preparing to integrate agent-capable shopping tools to automate the entire purchase path, from product discovery to final payment. The system is designed to manage search, respond to consumer queries and simplify transactions without the user ever having to leave the application interface.