Another day, another Instagram update. But the latest from the app could be one of its most controversial, as Meta announces its new AI tool Muse Image, an image-generator that uses other people's pictures – without telling them.
The tool is Meta's latest push into generative AI. But its ability to incorporate real people's likenesses has quickly drawn criticism from privacy advocates, who argue the feature blurs the line between creativity and consent. Here's what you need to know.
What actually is Meta's Muse Image?
Muse Image is a text-to-image AI generator, which creates new images based on written prompts. But unlike competitors like ChatGPT, it can use public Instagram profile photos as a reference.
Users can prompt the tool to generate images featuring another person's likeness or visual style, without needing to upload an image themselves. In a blog post about the tool, Meta said the technology uses "advanced reasoning" to interpret prompts and combine images into new creations.
The feature is currently available to users in the US, with Meta confirming it will also expand to Facebook, Messenger and advertising tools in the future. According to the BBC, a video-generation version is reportedly also in development.
How can you opt out of Muse Image?
Meta says anyone with a public Instagram account can opt out of having their content reused by AI. To do so, you need to head to Settings, then Sharing and Reuse, and switch off "Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features at Meta."
The setting only appears for public accounts. Private accounts are excluded by default, meaning their content cannot be used by Muse Image.
However, in arguably the feature's biggest point of contention, users whose images are used won't be notified. This raises serious concerns around consent, with critics arguing the feature could make it easier to create misleading or non-consensual images.
Privacy International criticised the feature, telling the BBC it shows how AI companies increasingly view people's online photos and personal data as content that can be reused without explicit permission. The feature also comes as governments and public figures around the world pay closer attention to AI-generated content and the potential harms it can cause, particularly when real people's identities and creative outputs are involved.
Will Muse Image come to Australia?
Meta has not confirmed if or when Muse Image will launch outside the US. For now, the feature is only available through Meta AI in the United States, though the company has indicated it plans to expand availability across more of its platforms in the future. We'll keep you updated.
