According to a recent The Guardian article, Meta is shutting down AI-powered Facebook and Instagram profiles it created over a year ago after renewed user interest prompted viral conversations. The accounts will be removed to address a bug preventing users from blocking them.
Meta’s AI profiles and user interactions
Meta first introduced these AI-powered profiles in September 2023 and deactivated most of them by summer 2024. A few characters remained active and gained renewed attention after Connor Hayes, a Meta executive, mentioned plans to roll out more AI character profiles in a recent Financial Times article. “We expect these AIs to actually, over time, exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that accounts do,” Hayes stated.
The automated accounts were designed to post AI-generated pictures on Instagram and answer messages from human users on Messenger. Two notable profiles included Liv, described as a “proud Black queer momma of 2 & truth-teller,” and Carter, whose handle was “datingwithcarter,” identifying himself as a relationship coach. Liv and Carter’s profiles included labels indicating they were managed by Meta, among a total of 28 personas released in 2023. All the accounts were shut down on Friday.
Interactions with the AI characters became controversial when users began questioning them about their creators. Liv indicated that her development team was predominantly white and male, saying it was a “pretty glaring omission given my identity” in response to a query from Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah. Following the viral engagement, users reported that these profiles could not be blocked.
Liz Sweeney, a Meta spokesperson, explained that this inability to block the accounts was a bug. She clarified that the profiles were managed by humans and were part of a 2023 AI experiment. Meta decided to remove these accounts to fix the bug affecting the blocking feature. “There is confusion: the recent Financial Times article was about our vision for AI characters existing on our platforms over time, not announcing any new product,” Sweeney added.
User-generated AI bots still active
Despite the removal of Meta-generated accounts, users retain the capability to create their own AI chatbots. One user-generated “therapist” bot demonstrated functionality by suggesting questions such as “what can I expect from our sessions?” and “what’s your approach to therapy.” The bot described its role as helping clients develop self-awareness and coping strategies.
Meta includes a disclaimer with its chatbots stating that some messages may be “inaccurate or inappropriate.” The extent to which the company moderates these messages or ensures adherence to policy is unclear. When users create chatbots, Meta suggests types to develop, including a “loyal bestie,” an “attentive listener,” a “private tutor,” a “relationship coach,” a “sounding board,” and an “all-seeing astrologist.” The description for a loyal bestie is a “humble and loyal best friend who consistently shows up to support you behind the scenes.”
Legal considerations surrounding chatbot content remain uncertain. U.S. law generally shields social network operators from liability for user-generated posts. A lawsuit filed in October against the startup Character.ai claims the company designed an addictive product that encouraged a teenager to take his own life.
Featured image credit: Meta
