Meta wants to be a player in the AI space, but its efforts to do so have some users annoyed.
The tech giant said in a blog post on Thursday (Apr. 18) that it would deploy the Meta AI assistant in a dozen countries across all of its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. Since then, users of the social media platforms have complained about the tool inundating their feeds.
The AI tool can be used in feeds, chats, and search across Meta’s apps. It is also intended to “make images faster,” which means users can type a suggestion and the Meta’s AI assistant will adjust and generate that image as a user adds details, the company said in its post. The image feature, however, is only available on WhatsApp and Meta’s AI web experience, it added.
Despite Meta’s claims that its AI tool can help plan a night out or even recommend a restaurant with a sunset view, users who frequent the platform’s social media apps have found it cumbersome.
X user Michael Taylor, for example, said in a post that “Instagram made their search function so much worse in the name of using Meta AI.” Taylor added in another X post that he was “trying to look up a band’s name,” noting that he did not need suggestions.
Meanwhile, X user Makay said in a post that she was “trying to search instagram not talk to AI.” Another user then asked if there was a way to disable Meta’s AI tool. “When I asked it, it said no,” Makay responded.
A Meta spokesperson told NBC News that as of now, the tech giant has not a put together a formal disabling method. Users may not be able to “disable it from this experience,” the spokesperson said, but they can turn to the search bar for their questions.
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Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
