Introduction
Your Rep AI assistant can now respond directly to customer messages on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp—providing the same intelligent, personalized support you offer on your website chat. Handle full conversations, answer questions, and even perform actions like canceling orders right within the messaging platform where your customers already are.
AI Answering is part of Omnichannel AI. Your first 70 tickets are free; after that, each AI-resolved conversation uses one ticket, the same as email — on pay as you go or on a plan.
What AI Answering Can Do
Answer Customer Questions
Product information and recommendations
Shipping and delivery inquiries
Return and exchange policies
Order status updates
Store hours and contact information
Any question covered by your knowledge base
Show Products as Cards
Send matching products as swipeable cards with image, name, and price
Give shoppers a button that opens the product on your store
Offer narrowing questions as tappable options
Available on Instagram and Facebook Messenger
Learn more in Show Shoppers Real Product Cards in Instagram & Facebook Messenger.
Start conversations from story reactions
With Proactive Approach on, Rep sends one friendly message when a shopper reacts to your story, mentions you in theirs, or shares your post into a DM
Available on Instagram and Facebook Messenger
Learn more in Start Conversations When Shoppers React to Your Stories.
Perform Actions (Based on Your Configuration)
Cancel orders
Change address
Update customer information
And other support skills you've enabled
Follow Your Instructions
Use your brand voice and tone
Apply custom AI instructions specific to each platform
Follow the same training and guidelines as your other channels
Your AI uses the same powerful engine that handles your website chat and email support—including all your configured skills like order cancellation, shipping inquiries, return policies, and more.
AI Answering vs. Classic Mode
AI Answering is the recommended experience for most merchants. However, if you prefer to keep conversations on your website, you can use Classic Mode instead—which sends customers a friendly message with a link to continue chatting on your site.
AI Answering (Recommended) |
Classic Mode (Optional) |
|---|---|
Answers questions directly in the chat |
Redirects customers to your website |
Customer stays in their preferred app |
Customer continues on your site |
Full AI capabilities available |
Website chat experience |
Can cancel orders, check status, and more |
All actions happen on website |
Shows product cards on Instagram and Facebook |
Full product carousels on website |
You can switch between modes anytime with the AI answering switch in AI Social → Messages.
Current Limitations
Product Cards on WhatsApp
On Instagram and Facebook, your AI sends product recommendations as native product cards with an image, name, price, and a button that opens the item on your store. On WhatsApp, product recommendations arrive as text with links.
Human Agent Detection
When a human agent from your team responds to a conversation, AI Answering automatically pauses to avoid confusion. This intelligent handoff is currently available on Instagram and Facebook. WhatsApp support for human agent detection is coming soon—until then, be mindful of potential overlap on WhatsApp conversations.
Comments
AI Answering covers direct messages. To moderate and reply to comments on your Instagram posts, Reels and ads, see Keep Your Instagram Comments Clean with AI Comment Moderation and Let AI Reply to Comments on Your Instagram Posts.
Getting Started
For New Accounts
The first time you activate Omnichannel AI, AI Answering turns on for every Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp channel you've already connected. Channels you connect while Omnichannel AI is active start answering right away.
If a connected channel shows an AI answering off badge, open AI Social → Messages, pick the channel, and switch AI answering on.
For Existing Accounts
If you already have Meta integrations connected, turn AI Answering on for each channel in AI Social → Messages — the steps are below.
How to Connect and Enable AI Answering
1. Connect your channel
Go to Settings → Integrations in your Rep AI Console and select the Social tab. You can also click Connect on a channel in AI Social → Overview.
Click the Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp card, then Connect.
Log in with the Meta account that manages your business profile, Page or WhatsApp Business account, and grant Rep AI the requested permissions.
Choose the accounts, Pages or phone numbers you want Rep AI to manage. (WhatsApp has its own step-by-step guide: Connect WhatsApp to Rep AI.)
2. Turn on AI answering
Open AI Social → Messages and pick the channel in the channel bar at the top.
Switch AI answering is off to AI answering is on. "When enabled, your AI replies directly on Instagram instead of redirecting customers to chat on your website." Leave it off if you prefer Classic Mode.
Click Save changes.
Replies on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp publish immediately — there is no draft mode on Meta channels. You can switch answering off at any time.
More than one account? In AI Social → Overview → Connected accounts, every account, Page and number has its own DMs switch, so you can let the AI answer on some and not others.
3. Add channel instructions (optional)
On the same Messages page, turn on Use specific AI instructions for Instagram messages (or Facebook / WhatsApp). These override your general AI instructions for that channel only. Click Add your first instruction to start.
4. Test it
Open AI Social → Test & Train, choose DMs, and send a test message — or DM your business account from a personal account.
The same settings also open from Settings → Integrations → Instagram (or Facebook, WhatsApp) → Messages.
Customizing AI Behavior Per Platform
Each Meta platform has its own AI instructions toggle that lets you override your general AI instructions. This is useful when you want:
A more casual tone on Instagram vs. formal on WhatsApp
Different response lengths for each platform
Platform-specific policies or messaging
To add custom instructions:
Open AI Social → Messages and pick the channel
Turn on Use specific AI instructions for Instagram messages (or Facebook / WhatsApp messages)
Click Add your first instruction and enter your instructions
Click Save changes
These override your general AI instructions for that channel only.
When this toggle is OFF, your general AI instructions apply to messages from that platform.
Links on Instagram and Messenger
When a shopper asks where to find something on your store, such as your LEGO collection, your shipping policy, or your sale page, your AI answers in its own words and attaches a button that opens the page. The button label is short and clear, like "Shop now", "View policy", or "Shop on sale".
There's nothing to set up. Link buttons work on every Instagram account and Facebook page where AI Answering is on.
How it looks on phone and desktop
Instagram shows link buttons in its phone app but not on instagram.com in a desktop browser. This is a Meta limitation: Instagram's desktop website doesn't display buttons in messages, and Meta doesn't tell Rep AI which device a shopper is using. It applies to AI Answering and Classic Mode alike.
Your AI writes every reply so it makes sense either way. The message tells the shopper where to go ("You can browse our full collection of toys on our online store") and never says "tap the button below". Shoppers on a phone get the answer plus a button. Shoppers on desktop get the same complete answer, without the button.
| Phone app | Desktop browser | |
|---|---|---|
| Answer + button | Answer only (instagram.com doesn't show the button) | |
| Facebook Messenger | Answer + button | Answer + button (on facebook.com) |
Most Instagram DMs are read in the phone app, so nearly all of your Instagram shoppers see the button.
Good to know
One button per reply. When several pages are relevant, your AI puts the most useful one on the button and names the others in its answer.
Long answers are sent without a button. Instagram and Messenger only allow a button on shorter messages (about 640 characters). When an answer is longer, your AI sends the full answer as text and describes where to find the page in words.
Web addresses aren't typed into the message. Your AI points to the page with the button and describes it in words, even when a shopper asks for the address.
Links go to pages your AI already knows about, such as your products, collections, policies, and any links you've included in your AI instructions or FAQs.
If Instagram or Messenger won't accept a link, your AI still sends the answer, just without the button. It won't try to send a link again in that conversation for the next 24 hours.
Product cards and reply buttons. Product recommendations still arrive as product cards, and those cards' View product buttons do show on instagram.com on desktop. A reply that carries a link button doesn't also carry suggested reply buttons.
WhatsApp replies include the link as text in the message.
Smart Human Handoff
When your team members respond to a conversation, Rep AI automatically detects the human involvement and stops responding. This prevents confusing situations where both AI and humans are replying to the same customer.
Current Availability:
Instagram: Human agent detection active
Facebook: Human agent detection active
WhatsApp: Coming soon
On WhatsApp, until human detection is fully implemented, be aware that AI may respond even after your team has engaged. Coordinate with your team to avoid overlapping responses on WhatsApp conversations.
How AI Answering is billed
AI Answering on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp runs on your Omnichannel AI ticket package. One AI-resolved conversation uses one ticket, the same as email. Tickets are $0.75 each on monthly or quarterly billing, $0.50 on annual.
Beyond your package, resolved conversations are billed at $1.20 each when overage is on; with overage off, Meta channels fall back to Classic answering, which consumes nothing. Classic Mode never consumes tickets — it sends customers a link to continue on your website.
Comment replies use the same tickets: one ticket per comment thread Rep answers. Comment Moderation is free.
WhatsApp also has a Meta charge. Since October 1, 2026, Meta charges for every reply your WhatsApp number sends, including the Classic Mode link. Each number gets 1,000 free replies a month. Meta bills your WhatsApp Business account directly, not Rep. For rates and details, see What Meta charges for WhatsApp messages.
For the full picture — the overage toggle, the Console banners, and what happens when you change or cancel your package — see Keep Your AI Answering When You Pass Your Omnichannel AI Plan.
Tracking Performance in Analytics
All conversations from Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp are tracked in your Rep AI analytics dashboard, allowing you to measure engagement and performance across your social channels.
Traffic Source Filtering
You can filter your analytics by traffic source to see conversations from each Meta platform:
Instagram DM — Conversations from Instagram Direct Messages
Facebook DM — Conversations from Facebook Messenger
WhatsApp — Conversations from WhatsApp Business
Use these filters on your Analytics and Conversations pages to understand how customers engage with your AI on each platform, track response quality, and identify opportunities to improve.
Platform Filtering
Your analytics also include a separate Platform filter (e.g., Web, iOS, Android). Note that traffic source and platform are different dimensions:
Traffic Source tells you where the conversation originated (Instagram DM, Facebook DM, WhatsApp, Website, etc.)
Platform tells you what device or app the customer used
Currently, these filters work independently. If you want to analyze Meta channel performance specifically, use the Traffic Source filter and select the relevant Meta options (Instagram DM, Facebook DM, or WhatsApp).
Troubleshooting
AI Not Responding
Look for an AI answering off badge on the channel's card under Settings → Integrations. If you see it, turn AI answering on for that channel.
On WhatsApp, check that your phone number is active.
In AI Social → Messages, check that AI answering is on for the channel
In AI Social → Overview → Connected accounts, check that the DMs switch is on for the account, Page or number
Ensure your Meta connection is still active (look for "Connected" status)
Want to Use Classic Mode Instead?
In AI Social → Messages, switch AI answering off for the channel
Your AI will send a friendly redirect message to your website instead
Can't See the Homepage Card
The card appears for merchants who have Meta integrations but haven't enabled AI Answering
If you've already enabled it, the card won't appear
Connection Issues
Re-authorize your Meta connection if permissions have changed
Ensure your Instagram/Facebook/WhatsApp accounts are business accounts
Check that accounts are in good standing with Meta
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How is AI Answering billed? A: It uses your Omnichannel AI ticket package — one AI-resolved conversation, one ticket. Beyond your package, resolved conversations are $1.20 each when overage is on. Classic Mode never consumes tickets.
Q: Will AI Answering be enabled automatically? A: The first time you activate Omnichannel AI, AI Answering turns on for every Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp channel you've already connected. Channels you connect while Omnichannel AI is active start answering right away. If a channel shows an AI answering off badge, open AI Social → Messages, pick the channel, and switch AI answering on.
Q: Can I still redirect customers to my website instead? A: Yes! If you prefer the classic experience, leave AI answering off for that channel in AI Social → Messages. Your AI will send a friendly message with a link to continue the conversation on your website.
Q: Do shoppers see product cards on Meta? A: On Instagram and Facebook Messenger, yes — matching products arrive as swipeable cards with an image, name, price, and a button that opens the item on your store, and narrowing questions arrive as tappable options. On WhatsApp, product recommendations arrive as text with links.
Q: What happens when my team responds to a customer? A: On Instagram and Facebook, the AI automatically pauses for that conversation. On WhatsApp, this feature is coming soon.
Q: Can I use different AI instructions for each platform? A: Yes! Each platform has a toggle to enable custom instructions that override your general AI settings.
Q: What skills does AI Answering support? A: AI Answering supports the same skills as your website chat—including order cancellation, returns, shipping inquiries, and more. The available actions depend on what you've configured in your Rep AI account.
Q: How do I know if it's working? A: Send a test message to your connected account. If AI Answering is enabled, you'll get a full response. If Classic Mode is enabled, you'll get a redirect link to your website.