If you don’t see Meta AI on your apps yet, it won’t be long. Social media giant Meta is entering a new age and dragging us all with it.
Last week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, announced it was rolling out AI technology on their apps outside the US. Over 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, had Meta AI automatically appear on their apps and be functional without their consent.
If you haven’t seen it yet, Meta AI will likely appear when you update your apps. I updated Instagram, Threads and Facebook, and so far, Meta AI has only shown up on my Facebook app.
Meta’s announcement highlights how you can leverage Meta AI to your advantage. It can assist you in finding nearby restaurants for a night out that cater to your dietary preferences. It’s also designed to aid in your studies by explaining your material to you. Interestingly, it can even provide guidance on how to build an ant farm.
But not everyone is happy about the new updates.
Meta AI is here and users are not happy
Comments vary on Meta’s Facebook business page. Although some users spent their time declaring their love for Mark Zuckerberg, many just want Meta AI gone.
“That thing is so highly annoying! Constantly opening up a new chat window! No ad blocker stops it. It should be just there when needed!” – Andi
“It’s useless and I don’t want it on my screen. It pushes my search history down unnecessarily. Please remove it or shift location.” – Chris
“Didn’t ask for it, don’t want it… why can’t I get rid of it? It is ANNOYING.” – Cynthia
“Make it stop!!!” – Donna
“I don’t like it. I would like to be able to turn it off. I am actually thinking about deleting Facebook now. I do not like any kind of AI.” – Brandy
Instagram’s Meta account isn’t much different, with many people calling out the AI rollout.
“This sucks huge donkey nuts. I can’t do a regular search on Facebook anymore because the stupid AI thing keeps popping up. I can’t search for specific posts or pages to follow. Why would you do this? It sucks. Everyone hates this, Make the AI thing a separate feature.” – Jonwz
“Can you give me back my normal search bar? I know it’s a minimal change, mostly leg as you use search data to train AI and it removes a step in the legal process by leveraging liability to the end consumer now, but can I just have search back? The icon annoys me and that the new implications are not clearly communicated is unethical.” – Pix.ley
“Worst update ever please remove it.” – kboo.1
“How do you turn this off? It’s so glitchy that it’s not allowing me to see my regular business messages and keeps scrolling up.” – woldten
What are the concerns with AI?
AI is changing the game and many see it as our future. But there are still many concerns about the use of AI, especially when it is being installed without our consent.
1. Consent and privacy
Without asking for permission, Meta may be collecting and using personal information. This can make users feel like they’re being watched without approval, leading to a lack of control over their own data.
2. Mental health impact
AI tools that promote beauty filters and encourage upward social comparison can negatively affect users’ mental health, particularly among young people.
3. Transparency and communication
If Meta isn’t clear about what these AI tools are doing, users might feel confused or misled. When companies don’t explain things clearly, it’s hard to know what information they’re collecting, how they’re using it, and what that means for consumers.
4. Unwanted content moderation
AI-driven content moderation has inherent flaws, often lacking context and leading to over-censorship or inadequate response to harmful content. This can frustrate users and may result in unjust content removal or failure to address hate speech and other toxic behaviours.
5. Security risks
If AI tools are collecting a lot of data without proper security measures, there’s a risk of it being hacked, stolen or misused. This could lead to identity theft, scams, or other types of fraud. If personal information isn’t protected, it could end up in the wrong hands!
Can Meta AI be removed from social media?
Not officially.
Currently, there’s no permanent way to remove the AI technology from your social media apps. This has many users feeling powerless and irritated with the social media and business giant.
How are you feeling about the new Meta AI? Let us know!
Comments are closed.