The news: OpenAI is working on a TikTok-style app built on its Sora 2 video model—an AI-only feed where every clip is generated, not filmed, per Wired. Meta, meanwhile, is rolling out Vibes, a new short-form video feed in its Meta AI app and Meta.ai, designed for remixing, personalization, and sharing across Instagram and Facebook.
Why it’s worth watching: Social platforms are entering a new phase where feeds no longer rely on creators alone. Meta and OpenAI are hoping that generative content can sustain engagement and open new ad formats.
Meta ties Vibes into Instagram and Facebook, leveraging its massive network effects. OpenAI, with no existing social footprint, is testing whether AI-native media can attract a sticky audience.
The simultaneous pivots focus on which company controls the next attention funnel and the commerce layers that sit beneath it.
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Platform shift: Meta is extending its ecosystem by fusing AI remix tools with its social graph. OpenAI is building from scratch, positioning AI as the foundation of the feed itself.
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Social dynamics: Meta is keeping creators central through remixing and sharing. OpenAI is replacing creators with prompts, raising questions about authenticity, AI slop, and community.
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Tech play: Both firms are building infrastructure for scalable short-form video without traditional production bottlenecks, potentially lowering costs for advertisers and opening worldwide reach and customization.
Yes, but: TikTok’s strength lies not just in its format, but in its full-stack ecosystem—direct messaging, viral hooks, influencer culture, and seamless “buy now” links. Neither OpenAI nor Meta’s Vibes has replicated those social and commercial features at scale.
Without the glue of community and commerce, generative feeds risk becoming novelty experiments rather than daily destinations.
What this means for brands: This is less about AI gimmicks and more about platform power.
- Meta aims to reinforce its dominance by embedding AI creation into existing user behaviors. It’s providing marketers new surfaces for remixable campaigns and deeper integration with Instagram and Facebook audiences.
- OpenAI is testing if users will accept an entirely new kind of social experience. For marketers, early participation could secure first-mover advantages, but platform risk looms.
The upside is experimentation: Vibes offers remixable campaigns plugged into Instagram and Facebook, while OpenAI promises co-created ads generated at scale. The risk is durability. Until user habits adjust to new content feeds, marketers should treat both as pilot channels—take advantage of launch buzz, but keep spend flexible in case novelty fades.
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