Meta Announces AI Features for Facebook Marketplace

Meta announced new AI-powered features for Facebook Marketplace on Thursday, aimed at streamlining the buying and selling process for its millions of users in the United States and Canada. The updates address common challenges faced by sellers, such as handling repetitive inquiries and creating listings, while enhancing trust and expanding shipping options.

The platform sees more than 3.5 million listings posted daily, covering items like home decor, clothing and electronics. Sellers often receive a flood of messages asking if an item is still available or about its price and condition, which can consume significant time. To tackle this, Meta introduced auto-replies powered by its AI. When buyers send inquiries about availability, the system drafts responses using details from the listing, such as the description, price, pickup location and status. Sellers can enable the feature during listing creation, preview the replies and edit them to add specifics like the item's condition or their availability for pickup.

For instance, a sample reply might state, "Yes, it's still available. Do you have any questions?" This allows sellers to focus on serious buyers rather than redundant...