Meta released a new iPhone app called Forum that shifts Facebook Groups into their own dedicated space and adds a built-in artificial intelligence chatbot. The move positions the company to compete directly with Reddit and Google's AI-powered search summaries for user-generated advice.
A Dedicated Hub for Groups
Forum pulls in the Facebook Groups a user already belongs to and displays their posts in a feed. It also suggests content from groups the user has not joined, similar to the discovery experience on Reddit. The app works as a standalone alternative to the main Facebook app, placing group interactions front and center.
Meta previously tried a standalone Groups app in 2017 but shut it down after low adoption. Forum represents a renewed effort, this time with a heavy emphasis on AI.
AI Serves Up Answers
The chatbot inside Forum can answer questions by searching through group posts and other public content. Users can ask for advice on topics like travel, home improvement or parenting and receive direct answers instead of scrolling through threads.
This approach mirrors the functionality of Google's AI Overviews, which generate answers from Web content, and Reddit's community-driven Q&A. Meta aims to keep users within its ecosystem by providing immediate, tailored responses.
Forum is currently available for iPhones in select regions. Android support has not been announced yet.
Why This Matters
For millions of people who already rely on Facebook Groups for recommendations and expertise, Forum offers a streamlined way to access that knowledge. The AI chatbot reduces the effort needed to find relevant information, which could increase time spent inside Meta's apps.
The move also intensifies the rivalry between Meta and Google, as both companies invest heavily in AI-powered answers that keep users on their platforms. Reddit, which has become a default source for human advice, faces a direct competitor backed by Meta's massive user base and data.
Forum's success will depend on whether users trust the AI's answers and whether they prefer a closed, group-based environment over the open Web. The app is likely to evolve quickly as Meta refines its AI models based on real-world usage.
