Key facts
- Meta has discontinued its AI image generation feature, Muse, days after its launch.
- The feature allowed users to generate images by referencing public Instagram accounts.
- Backlash arose due to privacy concerns and an opt-out policy for users.
- SAG-AFTRA criticized the feature and welcomed its discontinuation.
- Meta acknowledged the feature 'missed the mark' and is no longer available.
Meta has discontinued its AI image generation feature, Muse, just days after its rollout, following widespread criticism over privacy concerns. The feature, integrated into Meta's AI chatbot, allowed users to create images by referencing public Instagram accounts.
Meta stated that its intention was to provide a useful creative tool and give users control over whether their public content could be referenced. However, the company acknowledged that the feature "missed the mark" and is therefore no longer available.
The feature soon faced backlash, with Emmy-winning actor Hannah Einbinder and the union SAG-AFTRA criticizing it for being automatically opted-in and raising concerns about the use of users' images. SAG-AFTRA urged members to opt out of the feature to protect their likeness.