Meta’s gamble on an AI-first video feed is paying off. Fresh analysis from Similarweb reveals that Meta AI’s mobile app activity soared just after the introduction of Vibes, a TikTok-style stream of AI-generated short videos, directly embedded in the app. On iOS and Android, daily active users reached approximately 2.7 million, up from nearly 775,000 four weeks earlier. New installs also surged to around 300,000 per day, up from 200,000 approximately a month ago. A year before, the app was only adding almost 4,000 downloads a day, a reminder of how quickly a compelling new feature can shift growth curves.
Why Vibes matters for Meta AI engagement and growth
Vibes transforms Meta AI from a utility you open to ask questions into a feed you can graze—no prompt manipulation required. That makes a difference. On-device AI data videos have the advantage of removing the mental pressure of talking to a bot and replacing it with passive discovery and quick prize loops, the same game dynamics that drove brief videos to conquer smartphone attention over the last half-decade.
More crucially, generative models generate “endless novelty.” While human-created feeds may become tiresome, AI clips may be remixed endlessly around genres, aesthetics, and feelings. For Meta, it implies more reasons to reopen the app, more chances to shift users to production software, and more clout for an AI product that competes for relaxed time rather than work use.
Competitive context and the ripple effect from Sora
Similarweb’s latest snapshot shows a 15.58% increase in Meta AI daily users from around the world, amid pullbacks by several peers such as 3.51% for ChatGPT, 7.35% for Grok, and 2.29% for Perplexity. The momentum is reversing in the direction of experiences that are instantly delightful rather than simply insightful.
The broader AI video moment may have accelerated this trend. Generative video received noticeable attention when OpenAI’s Sora went viral as its app topped the charts, focusing on being a generative genre. As Sora operates on invitation, some of this attention has been placed on Meta’s more easily available project, providing a fast approach to testing and enjoying AI visuals without having to wait.
Similarweb reports it didn’t see any strong signals in paid search or general ad estimates, and placements in non-app ads were below the line: product-led development is probable; moreover, the Facebook feed or Instagram story ads wouldn’t appear in third-party ad hoc tracking modules. Meta has a history of using placements in its network to charge new experiences.
Finally, Vibes gives Meta a new hook for creation. It can prompt users to remix or generate their moments rather than just scrolling, radically shortening the distance from passive consumption to active participation.
The jump from a few hundred thousand to millions of daily users indicates the app is reaching beyond early adopters. Combined with a heightened install cadence, Meta AI is now working from a top-of-funnel large enough to test retention at scale. The big question is whether people still visit Vibes after the novelty wears off, whether creation tools make it more sticky over time.
There are two statistics that will best tell the story: Daily downloads stabilizing at more than 300,000 per day and the percentage of DAUs using Vibes more than once per week. If that calculus holds, Meta can keep spending on AI video quality and even better controls for style and pacing, and on guardrails like synthetic media labels to keep the feed real.
What to watch next for Vibes and Meta AI growth
Look for stronger cross-promotion between Vibes and Meta’s other video surfaces. If clips created in Meta AI can quickly be exported into Reels or shared in messaging, the company could leverage its social graph as a distribution engine for AI-native content. That would better distinguish Meta AI from the standalone chatbots and play to formats users already know how to negotiate.
Competition will heat up as rivals open up access to their own video generators and rush richer editing controls onto mobile. In the meantime, Meta’s early bump highlights a larger lesson in consumer AI: presentation is everything. The model that’s best on paper isn’t always the one that wins; the experience that brings a smile to someone’s face in five seconds often is.
