Instagram is rolling out an AI assistant in Edits that analyses creator performance, audience interests and trends to provide personalised content ideas while keeping creative decisions with creators.
Instagram has begun rolling out a new AI-powered assistant inside Edits, its video creation and editing application. The feature is designed to help creators understand how their content performs and discover ideas for future videos.
Unlike generic AI recommendations, the assistant uses information related to an individual creator's Instagram account, audience and previous content. This allows it to provide suggestions based on actual performance patterns.
The feature is initially available to Edits users in the United States.
The Edits assistant can examine several account-level performance indicators to identify what is working for a creator.
These include:
Video views
Follower growth
Audience retention
Likes and shares
Comments
Audience interests
Instagram trends
By combining these signals, the assistant can identify patterns in a creator's content and turn them into practical recommendations.
For example, creators can ask why one video performed better than another or what elements may have attracted more viewers.
The assistant is designed not only to analyse existing posts but also to help creators plan future content.
Creators can use conversations with the AI to develop video concepts, opening hooks, captions and scripts based on their previous performance.
The tool can also suggest trending audio that matches a creator's niche and style. Creators can save relevant audio recommendations directly from the conversation for potential use in future videos.
This approach aims to connect performance analysis with the creative planning process.
One of the key features of the assistant is its ability to connect content performance with audience behaviour.
Creators can use the tool to explore which subjects, formats or storytelling approaches have generated stronger responses. This could help them better understand what resonates with their followers.
Instead of relying entirely on broad platform trends, the assistant provides recommendations using a creator's own account data alongside wider Instagram trends.
Instagram says the AI assistant is intended to support creators rather than replace their creative decisions.
The product was developed with feedback from a group of creators who tested early versions. According to Edits head Brett Westervelt, creators wanted AI to handle research and analysis while allowing them to remain responsible for the final creative choices.
The assistant therefore acts more like a conversational research and planning tool, with creators deciding which suggestions to adopt.
Instagram has highlighted examples from creators involved in testing the assistant.
Vegan creator @turnipvegan reportedly used the tool to compare the performance of videos about his greenhouse project with his cooking-related content. The analysis helped identify differences in how audiences responded to the two types of videos.
Beauty creator @jaleesajaikaran received a suggestion to experiment with a seven-second Reel alongside her usual one-minute videos.
These examples demonstrate how the assistant can identify potential changes in content format based on individual performance data.
The AI assistant is available at no additional cost within Edits, although its usage is subject to a daily limit. Meta is also planning to provide additional usage for heavier users through a Meta One subscription.
The company initially previewed the feature in June during an invite-only event for creators. At the same event, Meta also discussed plans for a desktop version of the Edits application.
Instagram's move comes as other major platforms develop conversational AI tools for creators. YouTube recently announced plans for a conversational video editing tool that is expected to become available early next year.
The two approaches have different stated focuses. Instagram's Edits assistant is primarily designed to analyse creator performance and help inform content planning, while YouTube's announced tool is focused more directly on assisting with video editing.
The addition of an AI assistant could make performance analysis more accessible to creators who may not have dedicated analytics or social media teams.
By bringing account insights, trend analysis and content ideation into a conversational interface, Edits aims to help creators move from reviewing past performance to planning future videos more efficiently.
However, the final choice of content, style and creative direction remains with the creator, keeping the tool positioned as an AI-supported decision-making aid rather than an automated content producer.
Conclusion
Instagram’s new AI assistant in Edits brings creator-specific analytics, audience insights and trend analysis into a conversational tool. By helping users understand content performance and develop personalised ideas, the feature could make video planning more data-driven while allowing creators to retain control over their creative direction.