Meta pulls AI image feature just days after launch
Meta announced on Friday the cessation of an AI feature introduced earlier this week, which enabled users to create images utilising public Instagram accounts. This decision follows extensive criticism regarding privacy issues, notably from a Hollywood union. “Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public content could be referenced in this way,” Meta said in a statement. “We’ve heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it’s no longer available,” it said.
Meta, the proprietor of Facebook and Instagram, introduced Muse Image on Tuesday, marking its inaugural image-generation model developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs. The feature, integrated into its Meta AI chatbot, utilises photos as input and enables users to edit generated images directly through sketches. The feature soon encountered significant criticism due to privacy concerns and its nature as an automatic opt-in for users. Emmy-winning actor Hannah Einbinder, recognised for her role in “Hacks,” expressed her discontent with the feature on Instagram, noting that it had been activated automatically and advising users to disable it. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors and other media professionals, also urged members and other Instagram users on Thursday to opt out of the feature.
SAG-AFTRA said “Anything other than a clear and conspicuous opt-in for these types of uses of Instagram users’ images is unacceptable, and an utter miscalculation of public sentiment regarding the obvious dangers and harms inherent in such use.” Following Meta’s decision to remove the feature, SAG-AFTRA expressed approval of the action. “With the dangers of nonconsensual digital replicas well known to all, a feature that encouraged that behavior is unwise. We appreciate its discontinuance. It is the responsible thing to do,” a union spokesperson said. The reversal indicates a growing demand for technology companies to provide users with explicit control over the utilisation of their publicly shared content by AI functionalities.
