Meta Wants AI Bot Profiles to Swarm its Social Media Platforms for Further Engagement

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is planning to integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-generated users into its social media platforms over the coming years. These AI characters or more commonly known as bots, complete with bios and profile pictures, will generate and share content, engaging the platform’s 3 billion users.

This comes as the social media giant says that the goal is to enhance the entertainment and engagement value of Meta’s apps, making interactions with AI feel more social. Already, hundreds of thousands of AI characters have been created, although most remain private.
Connor Hayes, Meta’s vice president of product for generative AI, stated in an interview with The Financial Times that integrating generative AI into Facebook, Instagram, and other networks is now a priority.

However, experts warn of potential risks associated with AI-generated content, such as the spread of misinformation and lowering of content quality.

Meta has mandated clear labeling of AI-generated content on its platforms as a countermeasure to the said concerns.
By introducing AI-powered bots, Meta hopes to artificially generate engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and followers that fulfill users’ need for social acknowledgment, following a strategy of aggressively pursuing, copying, and acquiring trends.

Critics of this AI-filled dystopia warn about the risks related to the “weaponization” of AI-generated content.

Does this prove the Dead Internet Theory? (GFB)