Meta is developing a new AI agent internally codenamed Hatch, a system built to carry out tasks across its Facebook and Instagram apps with little to no step-by-step instruction from users.
According to a report by The Information, the project has reached an advanced stage of development, and Meta is aiming to complete internal testing by the end of June 2026. A separate but related AI shopping tool for Instagram is also planned for a full rollout in the fourth quarter of this year.
What Hatch Is Built to Do
Hatch is being designed as a consumer-facing autonomous agent, meaning it will take actions on behalf of users rather than simply answering questions. The project draws inspiration from OpenClaw, the open-source AI agent platform that went viral in the tech community for its ability to carry out complex digital tasks without constant prompting.
Zuckerberg has publicly described OpenClaw as exciting but too difficult for most users to set up. Hatch is Meta’s attempt to bring that same level of capability to everyday users in a format they can actually navigate.
The company has tested Hatch on simulated versions of third-party services like DoorDash, Reddit, and Outlook, which signals that the agent is being built to work well beyond Meta’s own apps. The current version of Hatch is powered by Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 and Claude Sonnet 4.6 models, but Meta plans to transition it to its own in-house model, called Muse Spark, when the product officially launches.
The Instagram Shopping Angle
Alongside Hatch, Meta is building a dedicated AI shopping tool for Instagram. The main functionality allows users, while viewing Instagram Reels or their feed, to access detailed product information through AI and complete the checkout process inside the app, without being redirected to an external webpage. This keeps the entire pathway from seeing a product to pay for it within Meta’s ecosystem, which is a notable shift from how Instagram commerce currently works for most users.
Meta recently enabled creators to tag up to 30 products in a video, which could serve as a preamble to Hatch’s eventual integration. If both tools launch as reported, Instagram could evolve into a complete end-to-end commerce experience, moving users from product discovery all the way through checkout without ever leaving the app.
The TikTok Shop Factor
The launch of the Instagram shopping agent is viewed internally as a key competitive move against TikTok Shop, which has built a strong foothold in social commerce by weaving short videos and product purchases tightly together. Instagram carries a larger global user base, and with an AI agent managing the buying process, Meta is positioning itself to compete seriously in a space where TikTok has moved faster.
Google launched Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience in January, featuring AI shopping agents that support product recommendations, cart building, and automated checkout. Amazon offers its AI shopping assistant Rufus to help users track prices, compare products, and purchase them. Meta’s advantage over both is that Hatch would live inside apps that hundreds of millions of people already use daily, requiring no extra setup from merchants or shoppers.
What Comes Next
Meta has not publicly confirmed how user permissions, payments, or data handling will work inside Hatch. The company has raised its AI infrastructure capital expenditure by $10 billion to $145 billion, which reflects just how central these AI agent projects are to Meta’s broader AI plan.
With internal testing targeted for completion by the end of June, the clearest look at what Hatch will actually feel like for users should arrive before year-end.
