Meta has announced the launch of AI Studio, a new tool that lets anyone (so far only in the US) create AI versions of themselves on Instagram or across the web. The tool is set to revolutionize the way content creators and business owners interact with their followers. With AI Studio, creators can build personalized AI profiles that will respond to messages and comments on their behalf. The idea is that these AIs could talk directly to users in chat threads and manage interactions on social profiles. Instagram users in the US can get started with AI Studio via its dedicated website or by starting a new “AI chat” directly on Instagram.
In a blog post published Monday, Meta explained that creators can customize their AIs based on Instagram content, topics to avoid, and links to share. Creators can also configure their AIs’ automatic responses and specify which accounts they can interact with. The AI Studio also allows for the creation of new AI characters that can be used across all of Meta’s apps, seemingly aimed at competing with startups like Character.AI and Replika, where people already interact with thematic chatbots. Much like OpenAI’s custom GPT store, Meta will highlight AI characters created by users, allowing others to try them out.
Meta’s first attempt at this was to have celebrities create AI versions of themselves that look exactly the same but have different names and personalities. This approach was chosen to prevent the virtual versions of celebrities from saying problematic things on behalf of their human counterparts. Despite the controls built into AI Studio, there is always a risk of this happening because it is generative AI. Meta assures that AI profiles will be clearly labeled wherever they appear. The creator handbook provides further details on the AI creation process, noting that it is the creator’s responsibility to list topics that the AI should not respond to.
