Meta tests ‘Project Hatch’, an AI agent that can shop, book and manage tasks
Meta is testing a new personal AI agent called Project Hatch, designed to go beyond answering questions by carrying out online tasks for users. The system is currently being tested internally by Meta employees and can reportedly handle activities such as booking restaurants, shopping, researching information and finding dog sitters.
Details about Hatch emerged from an internal Meta memo reviewed by Business Insider. Meta describes the tool as a personal agent capable of assisting with different aspects of everyday life, including health, relationships and personal finances.
Unlike a traditional chatbot, Hatch has access to its own computer and can interact directly with websites and online services. It can fill in forms, make purchases and conduct detailed research. The agent can also be connected to services including email, calendars, Spotify, Instagram and OpenTable.
Meta is also focusing heavily on personalisation. Users can give their agent a name, choose how it communicates and specify which information it should prioritise. Hatch is designed to remember details about users and continue carrying out tasks in the background even after the app has been closed. For sensitive actions, users can be asked to approve them before they are completed.
A Meta product manager said their Hatch agent, named Veda, had already helped find a dog sitter, purchase a Father's Day present and make adjustments to their sleeping routine.
The project is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's broader effort to develop personal AI agents. Zuckerberg has previously said Meta wants to create "personal superintelligence for everyone." Hatch could eventually be offered as a paid consumer service, although Meta has not announced a launch date or pricing. Earlier reports suggested the company had considered a subscription costing as much as $200 per month.
Meta's AI strategy also involves workforce changes
The development of Hatch comes as Meta continues to restructure how it uses AI internally. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg and other senior executives worked on Project OT, or Organization Transformation, a plan aimed at making the company more heavily reliant on AI.
Reuters reported that the plan considered reducing some teams by as much as 60 per cent while replacing layers of traditional management with smaller groups supported by AI tools and agents. Meta also explored organising employees into smaller "pods" to develop products.
The company ultimately implemented a 10 per cent workforce reduction in May, but Zuckerberg later cancelled a second round of cuts that had been expected later in the year. Reuters reported that employee opposition and doubts over whether AI agents were producing the anticipated productivity gains played a role in the decision.
Meta has acknowledged that Project OT existed, but said its most aggressive scenarios were planning exercises and were not intended to eliminate 60 per cent of the company's overall workforce.
