Meta Introduces AI Characters on Facebook and Instagram

Meta is going to introduce AI-generated characters on its major social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to enhance user engagement and eventually boost activity on the platforms that are essentially losing ground to TikTok and other rival platforms.

These AI personas by Meta, complete with profile pictures and bios, can create and share content, functioning similarly to human users.

According to Vice President for Product, Generative AI, at Meta, Connor Hayes:

The AI accounts are long-term additions to platforms to ensure user engagement and activity.

Since the U.S. launch in July, hundreds of thousands of AI characters have been created, though most remain private and not for the general users to interact with.

This initiative aligns with industry trends, as platforms like Snapchat have reported a 50% increase in AI lens usage, and TikTok is testing AI-powered advertisements to boost revenue and sales for eCommerce drive.

However, Facebook users and experts caution about potential risks, including misinformation and low-quality content.

To address these concerns, Meta is implementing clear labeling of AI-generated material to ensure transparency so users know what's original and what's fake on the platforms.

In my personal opinion:

This is basically a useless feature and shouldn't be lauched on a scale. There can be 10 or even 100 users like this but if it is about thousands of them then this is totally a wrong thing for a social media network.

However, Mark Zuckerberg is a genius and he must've some idea to launch these AI-generated user accounts for the growth of his platforms.

Only time will tell the reality.