"Instagram Now Allows Users to Create AI Avatars of Themselves"

Meta is launching a new tool called AI Studio, enabling users in the U.S. to create AI avatars for Instagram and the web. This feature allows creators and business owners to engage with their followers through AI profiles that can participate in chat threads and respond to comments on their accounts.

According to Meta, Instagram users can access AI Studio via its website or by initiating an "AI chat" within the app. Creators can personalize their AI by choosing topics to focus on, avoiding specific subjects, and sharing curated links. The AI can be set to enable auto-replies and interact only with designated accounts.

AI Studio also supports the development of entirely new AI characters that can function across Meta's platform, positioning Meta in competition with companies like Character.AI and Replika, where users connect with themed chatbots. Similar to OpenAI’s custom GPT Store, Meta will showcase user-created AI characters for others to explore.

Previously, Meta allowed selected celebrities to create AI representations of themselves, designed to maintain control over the narrative and prevent problematic interactions. Despite the safeguards within AI Studio, concerns about misuse remain inherent to generative AI.

To address these issues, Meta ensures that AI profiles are clearly labeled. A comprehensive creator handbook outlines the AI creation process, placing the responsibility on creators to set boundaries on engagement topics. For example, creators can instruct their AI to avoid responding to investment queries like, “Should I invest in crypto?”

Prepare for the emergence of AI profiles across Instagram, as Meta continues to innovate in this exciting space.