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Meta pulls new AI image feature after days of backlash

Meta's release this week of an AI feature that let people alter Instagram content drew swift blowback.

Published July 11, 2026, 12:17 AM
Updated July 11, 2026, 12:37 AM4.3K
Meta pulls new AI image feature after days of backlash

Meta has abruptly taken down a new feature that allowed people to use its artificial intelligence (AI) tool to make fake images from user content on Instagram.

The feature was part of a broad rollout of Muse Image, a new AI image generation tool Meta released on Tuesday as part of Meta AI, the company’s chatbot.

It allowed Meta AI users to tag public-facing accounts on Instagram and quickly use content on those accounts to create AI-generated or altered content and images.

The feature quickly sparked blowback. So much so that Meta has now admitted it “missed the mark, so it’s no longer available”.

“Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public content could be referenced in this way,” Meta added in its decision to pull the feature. “We've heard the feedback.”

When Meta announced the feature days ago, it said it was limited to Instagram, but more AI features and integrations were planned for WhatsApp, Facebook and Messenger.

It also has an AI video tool in development.

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