Elon Musk just changed X's algorithm — here's what could start showing up in your feed

(Image credit: Getty Images) Elon Musk just announced two changes to X's recommendation algorithm, and they could affect what shows up in your For You feed. Instead of relying primarily on familiar engagement signals such as likes, reposts and replies, X is improving its ability to predict which posts will hold your attention and which ones you'll actually finish reading.In an Monday post, Musk outlined two updates: a new AI ranking model that better predicts how long someone is likely to spend viewing a post, and a retrieval model trained to find posts people read all the way through.It's a potentially significant change for anyone who uses X.X wants to know what keeps your attentionTwo important changes to timeline recommendations: - New AI/SI ranking model that predicts probable time spent much better - Retrieval model trained to surface posts people read all the way through User active seconds is growing exponentially and hitting all-time highs almost every day:October 20, 2026X already uses AI to determine which posts appear in your For You feed. According to the company's published recommendation algorithm, the system pulls posts from accounts you follow and accounts you don't, then uses a model to predict how you're likely to interact with each one.Those predictions include actions such as liking, replying, reposting and spending time viewing a post. So tracking attention isn't entirely new. The first update that involves the way X uses that information is that the model will get better at predicting how long someone will spend on a particular post.So, that means, if you're scrolling past two posts about the same breaking news story, the one that has more likes isn't necessarily the one people will read. The one with the most details for readers could be what keeps them engaged.A recommendation system that places greater emphasis on predicted reading time could give a less viral or less liked post the advantage.Sign up to the Tom's AI Guide weekly newsletter summing up all the biggest AI news you need to know. Plus, analysis from our AI editors and tips on how to use the latest AI tools!The other update happens earlier in the recommendation process. X's new retrieval model is trained to surface posts that people read from beginning to end. Ranking determines which posts get priority among the candidates X has already found. Retrieval helps decide which posts make it into that group in the first place.What could start appearing in your feed? (Image credit: VINCENT FEURAY / Getty Images)For readers, the most noticeable difference could be a shift toward posts that take longer to consume.Detailed explanations, thoughtful threads and posts that encourage people to keep reading could potentially benefit. A useful breakdown of a complicated news story, for example, might attract attention even without an enormous number of likes.The same could apply to posts from smaller accounts that consistently hold readers' attention. Since X already recommends content from people you don't follow, its updated retrieval model could help those posts reach new audiences.But none of this guarantees that longer posts will suddenly dominate your timeline. A post's length doesn't necessarily determine whether someone finishes reading it. A short, compelling post might perform well because nearly everyone reads the whole thing, while a lengthy explanation could lose readers halfway through.X also hasn't disclosed exactly how much influence the new models have compared with existing engagement signals. It's too early to say whether likes and reposts will become significantly less important.Content that keeps people reading isn't always content that's helpful or accurate. An outrageous claim, an argument or a deliberately suspenseful story might hold someone's attention just as effectively as a useful explanation.So with this restructuring, the more engaging story, may not be the one that's more "quality."Musk says people are spending more time on X (Image credit: Getty Images)Alongside the algorithm announcement, Musk shared a chart showing daily user active seconds on X. He claimed that the metric is growing exponentially and reaching new highs almost every day.The chart suggests that time spent on the platform has increased, but the figures haven't been independently verified, and the available data doesn't establish exponential growth.It's also unclear how much of that increase can be attributed to the latest recommendation models. Musk hasn't provided a detailed deployment timeline or evidence isolating their effect from other changes to X.For a platform competing with TikTok, Instagram and other attention-driven apps, that makes sense. The longer someone stays on a platform, the more opportunities there are to show them content and advertising.The takeaway The good news is that you don't have to rely entirely on X's recommendations. If your For You feed starts showing posts you aren't interested in, you can select the three-dot menu on a post and choose Not interested in this post. According to X's Help Center, that feedback helps the platform adjust future recommendations.You can also mute accounts or keywords to reduce unwanted content. For a more straightforward experience, switch from For You to Following at the top of your timeline. That feed shows posts from accounts you follow in reverse chronological order, rather than using the same personalized recommendation system.There's no need to change your settings immediately, though. X hasn't released enough information to establish precisely how individual feeds will change.Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. More from Tom's GuideTurn your PDFs into audiobooks with ChatGPT — here's the simple trickAI researcher warns cyberattacks could take down power, banking and water within a year — here's how to prepare An OpenAI employee allegedly used AI to spy on his own company — then AI helped catch him Amanda Caswell is the AI Editor at Tom's Guide and one of today’s leading voices in AI and technology. A celebrated contributor to various news outlets, her sharp insights and relatable storytelling have earned her a loyal readership. Amanda’s work has been recognized with prestigious honors, including outstanding contribution to media.Known for her ability to bring clarity to even the most complex topics, Amanda seamlessly blends innovation and creativity, inspiring readers to embrace the power of AI and emerging technologies. As a certified prompt engineer, she continues to push the boundaries of how humans and AI can work together.Beyond her journalism career, Amanda is a long-distance runner and mom of three. She lives in New Jersey.