Meta has unveiled a new artificial intelligence feature called "Dear Algo," designed to give Threads users greater control over their recommendation feed. With the tool, platform members can set content preferences as written prompts, similar to those addressed to chatbots, to temporarily adjust their user experience.

To activate it, users simply publish a public post starting with "Dear Algo," followed by their desired preferences. The algorithm then adapts the news feed for three days. Users can also reuse a request posted by another user to apply the same criteria to their own feed. The feature is directly inspired by an already common practice on the platform, where users tried to influence the algorithm with messages addressed to "Dear Algo."

The rollout fits into Meta's broader push to integrate AI across its services. In parallel, the company announced new Meta AI-based features, such as animating profile photos or editing images on Facebook. Meta plans to invest between $115bn and $135bn in AI in 2026, a sharp increase from the previous year.

Threads, launched in July 2023 to compete with X (formerly Twitter), had 400 million monthly active users in January. The platform is also beginning a global advertising rollout. "Dear Algo" will first be tested in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, before being gradually expanded to other markets.