Meta is reportedly set to enhance its social media platforms by introducing artificial intelligence (AI) bots designed to function as regular user accounts. The company aims to implement AI-driven characters capable of posting, sharing, liking, and engaging in other activities typical of human users. These bots are expected to appear on both Facebook and Instagram. In July of last year, Meta began enabling users to create AI characters, but this feature remains limited to the United States, with restrictions preventing public display of the generated characters.
According to a report by the Financial Times, Meta is exploring various ways to integrate AI into its services. The tech enterprise has already launched several AI initiatives, including the Meta AI chatbot, AI writing tools for Instagram direct messages, and AI avatars tailored for influencers and creators. Connor Hayes, Meta’s vice president of product for generative AI, informed the publication that the development of AI-powered user accounts represents the next progression for the company.
“We anticipate these AIs will, over time, exist on our platforms in a manner similar to regular user accounts,” Hayes stated. He elaborated on the vision, noting that these AI accounts will feature profiles akin to those of human users, complete with biographies and profile pictures. Additionally, they will have the capability to create and disseminate AI-generated content across the platforms.
According to Hayes, Meta is prioritizing projects aimed at making its platforms “more entertaining and engaging,” potentially in response to increasing competition from TikTok and X (previously Twitter). The company is reportedly convinced that the introduction of more AI tools and characters can enhance user engagement and interaction on its social media applications.
Nevertheless, experts have raised several concerns regarding this initiative. One significant issue pertains to the potential for misinformation to spread, as the proliferation of AI accounts could lead to a magnified effect of false information stemming from the limitations of current AI models prone to hallucinations.
Another concern focuses on the possible inundation of low-quality content on the platforms, stemming from a perceived lack of originality in today’s AI creations. A decline in overall content quality could ultimately drive users away from Facebook and Instagram.
