Wherever there is a message to write in a DM automation, you will see a Manual and an AI Copilot toggle. Manual sends the same wording every time. AI Copilot personalises each message, in your voice, taking into account the context of the post. This article explains how it works and every place you can use it.
How AI Copilot works
When something is set to AI Copilot, you do not write the message yourself. You give it a short set of instructions, and it writes the message fresh each time, shaped around the moment.
Wherever you use it:
It writes in your voice and reads the relevant context, such as the comment that triggered the automation and the post it was left on.
It greets the person naturally by their handle, so you never need to add their name.
It keeps each message short and natural, within Instagram's limits.
Your instructions are the highest priority. Whatever you tell it to do wins, so the clearer your instructions, the better the results. Style and formatting instructions work well too, for example "keep it short and friendly", "use a couple of emojis", or "avoid the dash character".
Managing Links and Buttons
Managing Links and Buttons
Any link or button you attach is sent automatically alongside the message. The AI does not write it and does not even know its web address. For the fixed messages (the DM, the public comment reply and a single follow up) this means two things:
Whatever you attach is sent every time, on top of whatever the AI writes.
Never mention the link in your instructions. The button sends on its own, and pointing the AI at "the link" can tempt it to try writing one out. Leave links out of your prompt and let the button do the work.
Tip - Lead with tone and intent, not facts. Keep prices, dates and links out of your instructions for the fixed messages, and let the attachments carry the specifics. The more you add to your knowledge base about your brand and voice, the more on brand every message sounds.
Using Copilot when setting up a DM automation
There are a few places you can hand the writing to AI Copilot.
1. Answering comments with AI
If you turn on Also reply to the comment under Advanced settings, you can set that public reply to AI Copilot too. It reads the comment and writes a short, on brand public reply, separate from the DM. Here's an example:
Reply briefly and on brand. Acknowledge the person, hint that you have sent them a DM, and keep it to one sentence. Avoid emojis if the original comment is serious.
2. Writing the DM with AI
This is the main message. Set the DM to AI Copilot and give it a short brief: the situation, the tone, and what you want the person to do. For example:
You are messaging someone who just commented on one of your posts. Acknowledge them warmly, match their energy, and invite them to take a look at what you have going on. Keep it to one or two short sentences, sound casual and friendly, and use an emoji if it fits.
3. Using Copilot to follow up in DMs
After the first DM, you can let Copilot keep the conversation going once the person replies. There are two ways to do this.
A single follow up
This is useful if your first DM was an Opening Message (e.g. a question like "Hey, do you want to receive the link?"). This second DM gets send once a follower replies to the first DM.
Continuous conversations
This is the most hands off option. Instead of one reply, Copilot holds a real back and forth on your behalf, reading each message the person sends and replying naturally until the conversation reaches its goal or runs its course. It even knows when to stop, so it will not keep messaging once the conversation has naturally ended.
Because it is having a genuine conversation, you brief it more fully here. In your instructions, give it:
Your goal, for example getting a link to the person as naturally as possible.
The script and tone you want it to use.
Any facts, links or FAQs it should know, so it can answer questions correctly.
This is also where the link rule changes. Rather than a single fixed button, you set up a pool of images and buttons, and Copilot chooses which, if any, to send with each reply based on the conversation. So here you can and should tell it about your links and what they are for.
The more guidance you give, the better it performs. Think of it as briefing a teammate: what you are trying to achieve, what to say, what to avoid, and the key facts they need to hand.
