Meta AI Uses Public Instagram Profiles to Generate Images by Default, Opt-Out Requires Manual Setting Change

Meta has introduced Muse Image, a new image generation model developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs. It enables users of Meta AI to create images resembling any public Instagram profile.

According to Wired, users can share these images via chat, Stories, or the Instagram feed. All public Instagram profiles are automatically enrolled in this feature.

Disabling it requires manually turning it off in Instagram's settings, as the option is not enabled by default.

How Meta’s Muse Image Uses Public Instagram Profiles

Meta AI users can now request images featuring the likeness of a specific public Instagram profile. The system creates an image based on recent photos from that profile, which can then be shared through Meta AI chat, And Instagram Stories, or the Instagram feed.

Users testing this feature have reported that it works with everyday personal profiles, not just public figures. In one example, an image showing two friends having coffee was generated in less than a minute using photos from both users' public profiles.

Private Instagram profiles are not included in this feature. Any attempt to generate an image that includes someone with a private profile will fail.

Some celebrity profiles are also blocked, likely due to rights considerations. For instance, an attempt to create a fight scene featuring Robert Downey Jr. was rejected by the system.

Google offers a similar feature for image generation, but with two main restrictions. It only works for the user's own likeness, and users must go through an approval process before the feature is enabled. In contrast,

Meta's system does not have these guardrails for personal public profiles. The company reasons that publicly posted content is available for use on its AI platform. As a result, the system allows for easier generation of images using another person's likeness on a larger scale.

Privacy Concerns, Opt-Out Steps, and Who Is Affected

The default opt-in setting raises privacy concerns:

Users with pu…