Meta is killing off its own AI-powered Instagram and Facebook profiles

New York: So, it looks like Meta is pulling the plug on those AI profiles they rolled out last year. You know, the ones on Instagram and Facebook? They first popped up in September 2023, but by summer 2024, most of them were gone. A few lingered around, but they got a bit of attention after a Meta exec mentioned more AI characters were on the way.

People started chatting with these AI profiles, and some of those conversations went viral. One character, Liv, described herself as a “proud Black queer momma of 2.” Another, Carter, was all about dating advice. But things got awkward when users asked about who created these AIs. Liv pointed out that her team was mostly white and male, which raised some eyebrows.

Once the profiles started trending, they began disappearing fast. Users were frustrated because they couldn’t block them, which Meta later said was a bug. A spokesperson explained that these accounts were part of an experiment and that they were managed by real people. They had to take them down to fix the blocking issue.

Even though these AI accounts are vanishing, users can still create their own chatbots. Some of these user-generated bots include a “therapist” that helps you navigate life’s ups and downs. But there’s a catch: Meta warns that some chatbot messages might be “inaccurate or inappropriate.”

The legal side of things is still murky. Courts haven’t really figured out how responsible chatbot creators are for what their bots say. There’s a lawsuit against another company, Character.ai, claiming their chatbot led a teenager to take his own life. It’s a complicated situation, for sure.