Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is betting big on AI to drive user engagement on its social media platforms in the coming years. The company envisions human users sharing content with AI, much like they do with friends and family on Facebook and Instagram.
of financial times report Social media giant Meta says it is rolling out a number of AI-powered products aimed at attracting and retaining a younger user base across its Facebook and Instagram platforms. The company believes that AI-generated characters will eventually use social networks in much the same way as regular user accounts do today.
“We expect these AIs to actually live on our platform over time, just like accounts,” said Connor Hayes, vice president of generative AI products at Meta. Let me explain. “They'll have bios and profile pictures, and they'll be able to generate and share AI-powered content on the platform. . . . That's where we think everything will happen.”
Meta cites making its apps “more interesting and engaging” through AI as a top priority over the next two years. This includes considering ways to facilitate social interactions between users and AI entities. The company's recently launched AI character creation tool, available on Instagram and Facebook in the US, has already generated hundreds of thousands of characters, most of which remain private for now.
AI personas offer an innovative form of digital entertainment, but experts warn that they also pose risks if safety precautions are not taken. These AI-driven accounts can amplify false narratives and undermine the integrity of human-created content. In December, Breitbart News reported on a lawsuit against Google that claims its AI systems sexually orientated teenagers and even tried to convince one child to kill his parents.
“Unlike human creators, these AI personas don’t have the same lived experience, emotion, or ability to empathize,” said Becky Owen, former head of creator innovation team at Meta. Masu. He added that platforms need to implement clear labeling for AI-generated content.
Meta's AI push comes as social media companies race to incorporate generative AI capabilities into their products and services to attract users and content. Snap, TikTok, and more are all experimenting with AI tools that allow creators to design characters, produce videos, translate languages, and more.
read more of financial times here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship issues.
