Instagram’s new Instants tool is a brazen copycat of Snapchat and BeReal, but at least it keeps things real


Instagram has never been shy about borrowing ideas, and its latest move makes that clearer than ever. The platform just globally launched Instants, a new feature that lets you share disappearing, unedited photos with your Close Friends or mutual followers.

The standalone Instants app is now available on iOS and Android, which opens directly to the camera when you log in with your Instagram account.

Introducing Instants: the newest way to share photos in real time with your Close Friends (or mutual followers) that disappear after 24 hours and can’t be edited, so you’re sharing your most authentic moments. You can access Instants through @instagram or the new Instants app.…

— Meta Newsroom (@MetaNewsroom) May 13, 2026

How does Instants actually work?

You can also access this tool directly from the Instagram inbox. Just tap the mini photo stack in the bottom right corner of your DM inbox to open the Instants camera.

Either way, you snap something in real time and send it instantly. No uploads from your photo gallery are allowed, and you cannot edit the image before sending. Recipients can react with emoji, reply, or fire back their own Instants.

No one can take screenshots on Instants, and photos vanish after being viewed once, and anything unopened disappears after 24 hours. In fact, anything unopened disappears after 24 hours.

If you accidentally send something, there is an undo button to take it back before anyone sees it. Your sent photos are saved in a private archive that only you can access for up to a year. You can also compile them into a recap to post to Stories later.

So which app did Instagram copy this time?

Honestly, take your pick. The disappearing photos and one-time viewing are straight out of Snapchat‘s playbook, which has offered ephemeral photo sharing since 2011. The no-edit, share-as-it-happens format is pure BeReal, an app that briefly took the world by storm by pushing users to post unfiltered photos at random times of the day.

Instants also draws comparisons to Locket, a widget-based app focused on sharing candid photos directly with close friends. But this isn’t new for Instagram because Stories was a direct lift from Snapchat, and Reels borrowed heavily from TikTok. Instants continues that tradition without much apology.

But here’s the thing – it might actually be useful

For all the eye-rolling the clone label deserves, Instants taps into something real. Instagram has spent years drifting toward influencer content, brand deals, and algorithmically pushed posts from strangers.

Instants pulls the app back toward what it was originally built for, sharing genuine moments with people you actually know. In a feed full of perfectly lit brand content, a little unfiltered reality is hard to argue with. Whether anyone actually needs it is another question, especially when BeReal never quite held on and Instagram Stories already does the job for most people.



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Intelligent Investing, a research-driven market analysis platform, works from the premise that artificial intelligence can expand financial forecasting by processing large datasets, accelerating strategy development, and enabling systematic execution. Alongside these capabilities, human interpretation remains essential, providing the context needed to translate data into meaningful market perspectives. 

This philosophy is reflected in the work of founder Arnout Ter Schure. With a PhD in environmental sciences and more than a decade of experience in scientific research, Dr. Ter Schure applies an analytical mindset to financial markets. His transition into market analysis reflects a sustained focus on data and repeatable patterns. Over time, he has developed proprietary indicators and a multi-layered analytical framework that integrates technical, sentiment, and cyclical analysis. This foundation provides important context for his perspective on how AI fits into modern financial decision-making.

Financial markets are becoming more complex and fast‑moving, and that shift has sparked a growing interest in how AI can play a supportive role,” Ter Schure states. “This has opened the door to exploring how computational tools might complement and strengthen traditional analytical approaches.” 

According to a study exploring a multi-agent deep learning approach to big data analysis in financial markets, modern AI systems demonstrate strong capabilities in processing large-scale data and identifying patterns across multiple timeframes. When combined with structured methodologies such as the Elliott Wave principle, these systems can enhance analytical efficiency and improve pattern recognition, particularly in high-speed trading environments.

This growing role of AI aligns with Ter Schure’s view of it as a powerful analytical companion, especially in areas where speed and computational precision are required. He explains, “AI excels when the task is clearly defined. If you provide the structure, the parameters, and the objective, it can execute with remarkable speed and precision.” This may include generating trading algorithms, coding strategies, and conducting rapid backtesting across historical datasets.

As these capabilities become more integrated into the analytical process, an important consideration emerges. Ter Schure emphasizes that AI systems function within the boundaries established by human input. He notes that the data they analyze, the assumptions embedded in their programming, and the frameworks they rely upon all originate from human decisions. Without these elements, the system may lack direction and purpose. Ter Schure states, “AI can accelerate the ‘how,’ but it still depends on a human to define the ‘why.’ That distinction applies across every layer of market analysis.

This relationship becomes especially relevant in financial forecasting, where interpretation plays a central role. AI can analyze historical data and identify recurring patterns, yet its perspective remains limited to what has already been observed. The same research notes that even advanced systems encounter challenges during periods of structural change or unprecedented market conditions, where historical data offers limited guidance. In such situations, the ability to interpret evolving conditions becomes as important as computational power.

For Ter Schure, forecasting involves working with probabilities rather than fixed outcomes. AI can assist in outlining potential scenarios, yet it does not determine which outcome will unfold. “Markets evolve through a combination of structure and behavior,” he explains. “A model can highlight patterns, but understanding how those patterns develop in real time still requires human judgment.”

This dynamic also extends to how AI interacts with human assumptions. According to Dr. Ter Schure, since these systems learn from existing data and user inputs, their outputs often reflect the perspectives embedded within that information. As a result, the quality of the initial assumptions plays a significant role in shaping the outcome. “If the initial premise includes a bias, the output often reflects it. The responsibility remains with the analyst to question, refine, and interpret the result,” Ter Schure remarks.

Such considerations become even more important when viewed through the lens of market behavior. Financial markets, as Ter Schure notes, are often influenced by collective sentiment, where emotions such as optimism and caution influence price movements. “Regardless of the computerization of trading, market behaviour has remained constant,” he says. While AI can identify historical expressions of these behaviors, interpreting their significance within a current context typically requires experience and perspective. 

Within this broader context, Arnout’s methodology illustrates how structured human analysis can complement technological tools. His approach combines Fibonacci ratios with the Elliott Wave principle, focusing on wave structures, extensions, and corrective patterns. These frameworks offer a way to interpret market cycles and map potential pathways for price movement. A key element of his method involves incorporating alternative scenarios through double corrections or extensions, allowing for multiple potential outcomes to be evaluated simultaneously.

This multi-scenario framework supports adaptability as market conditions evolve. “Each structure presents more than one pathway,” he explains. “By preparing for those alternatives, you create a framework that evolves with the market as new information becomes available.” This perspective allows for continuous reassessment, where forecasts are refined as additional data emerges.

Ter Schure stresses that although AI can assist in identifying patterns within such frameworks, the interpretation of complex wave structures introduces nuances that extend beyond automated analysis. Multi-layered corrections and extensions often depend on contextual judgment, where small variations influence the broader interpretation.

Overall, Ter Schure suggests that AI serves as an extension of the analytical process, enhancing specific components while leaving interpretive decisions to the analyst. Its ability to execute defined tasks with speed and precision complements the depth of human judgment. He states, “Technology expands what we can do, but understanding determines how we apply it. The combination is where meaningful progress takes place.”



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