Meta revealed exciting new features for its video-editing application, Edits, during a private creator event in Los Angeles on Wednesday, including an AI assistant and a desktop version of the previously mobile-only tool.
The company also introduced other updates today, such as a “Beta” tab for testing new features and enhanced audience analytics.
Launched last year, Edits was designed as a rival to ByteDance’s CapCut. With these new features, Meta aims to retain existing users while attracting more creators.
The forthcoming AI assistant is poised to assist creators in analyzing insights and generating content ideas. It will leverage data from Instagram, including view counts and video retention metrics, to highlight successful strategies. Moreover, it will recommend video topics based on performance and suggest the use of trending audio.
By incorporating an AI assistant into Edits, Meta intends to keep creators engaged on Instagram amid competition from TikTok and YouTube. Offering content suggestions is likely to encourage more frequent posting, thereby enhancing user interaction. Additionally, having direct access to AI eliminates the need for external tools like ChatGPT for content brainstorming and performance tracking.
Meta recently introduced a similar AI tool for Facebook creators. It is important to note that both YouTube and TikTok offer creative tools to aid users in generating content ideas, with YouTube Studio featuring an Inspiration tab powered by AI and TikTok providing its own AI assistant for trend analysis and brainstorming.
The desktop version of Edits will provide creators with enhanced precision in their editing processes while allowing the use of larger screens for more complex tasks. The platform promises smooth synchronization of workflows between mobile devices and desktops.
This upcoming desktop feature will also help Edits more effectively compete with CapCut, which already has a desktop option available.
A prominent new feature available today is the Beta tab, which enables creators to test experimental features while providing feedback to Meta. This initiative shows Meta’s commitment to accelerate feature development based on creator needs and preferences.
Creators will now have access to more detailed metrics, including breakdowns of their audience demographics and optimal engagement times. These insights will complement existing data on viewer retention, follower growth from specific videos, and more.
Additionally, creators can search for particular topics in the app’s Inspiration feed to see reels and templates that others are using around specific trends. They will also have the option to create multiple variations of a single piece of content to test performance before publishing.
While specific user numbers for Edits were not disclosed, Meta indicated that content produced with the app achieves a 10% higher save rate and a 2% higher reshare rate compared to other forms of content. Notably, over half of those viewing reels on Instagram encounter Edits-created material daily.
Edits is available for free download on both iOS and Android platforms.
The AI assistant is currently being tested by event attendees, while the desktop version of Edits is expected to launch soon. The remaining features are now accessible to all users.
