Are you interested in how Instagram is utilizing AI tools to enhance user experiences? Instagram has always been at the forefront of technological advancements, and the rising interest in generative AI technology is no exception.
Instagram’s development focus has been primarily on Threads in recent times, yet they continue to strive towards incorporating generative AI elements. This initiative was promised by Mark Zuckerberg, the chief of Meta, who emphasized just a month ago:
“In the last year, we’ve seen some really incredible breakthroughs on generative AI and that gives us the opportunity to now go take that technology, push it forward, and build it into every single one of our products.”
Meta has already started dabbling with this concept, introducing generative AI tools for creating ads. Instagram, too, is in the process of developing similar AI tools aimed at everyday users, which you can expect to see in your IG feed shortly.
Instagram AI tools that will change the face of the app
We are grateful to Alessandro Paluzzi for sharing these AI tools of Instagram is currently working on:
Generative AI stickers
Instagram is in the process of developing a generative AI sticker creation tool. Initially noticed during testing back in May, this AI tool will allow users to create custom graphics for Instagram posts and Stories based on text prompts. This feature enables in-stream visual AI creation, which can be added to any Instagram posts.
#Instagram is working on the ability to generate custom stickers using AI 👀 pic.twitter.com/BqFNIym84H
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) May 3, 2023
Story editor
Instagram is also planning to introduce visual editing tools. These AI tools will allow users to remove or replace parts of their uploads within the creation process. Currently, this feature has two aspects. The ‘AI brush’ lets users replace parts of their images, using generative AI to fill in the blanks. The ‘Restyle’ feature allows users to reconstruct sections of an uploaded image using text prompts. If you want a different backdrop, for example, you can add a description of your desired setting. You’ll also be able to replace specific elements with AI-generated alternatives.
#Instagram keeps working on the #AI tools for the Story editor 👀
AI Brush: add or replace specific parts of your image
Restyle: Reimagine this image by applying any visual style you can describe pic.twitter.com/oeRUwMVwdz— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) July 29, 2023
AI chatbot
Just like Snapchat’s My AI chatbot tool, Instagram is experimenting with a new conversational interface integrated into your Direct Messages (DMs). This AI chatbot can be activated within your regular DM threads by typing @ai into the chat field. You can then ask it questions about dinner suggestions, current movies, or random trivia – all within the chat thread.
Summarized DMs
The Message Summary is another innovative AI tool that Instagram is working on. If reading through your entire DMs feels like a chore, this tool can summarize your messages, saving you time. However, as more interactions on IG shift to DMs, whether an AI system can fully comprehend the context of every DM remains to be seen.
#Instagram is working on a new feature for Direct messages: Message Summary 👀
This new tool will likely be powered by #Meta #AI pic.twitter.com/j2lJhfFCBg
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) July 30, 2023
Standouts
Information about Instagram Standouts is somewhat limited, but from the image shared by Alessandro Paluzzi, it’s clear that it will periodically “celebrate” as friends interact and engage in shared activities.
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) July 30, 2023
Labels
Instagram is also focusing on transparency for generative AI content by adding labels. These labels will indicate when an image is created by AI. As seen in the example, visuals created with Meta’s own generative AI tools will be marked accordingly. Meta is also encouraging creators to add a ‘created by AI’ marker on posts uploaded from other tools.
Considering the swift advancement of generative AI, these labels could play a crucial role in maintaining transparency. However, there will undoubtedly be attempts to bypass these tags in hopes of fooling people with AI-created visuals.
#Instagram is working to label the contents created or modified by #AI in order to be identified more easily 👀 pic.twitter.com/bHvvYuDpQr
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) July 30, 2023
Advancements and future of generative AI on Instagram
At first glance, the introduction of these new generative AI tools, like chatbots and visual creation tools, might seem a bit underwhelming. Especially when these tools often produce visuals that look somewhat peculiar. However, it’s important to remember that we’re only at the beginning of what generative AI could potentially achieve. So, it’s likely that we may not witness anything significantly more advanced for some time.
Yet, these developments could prove to be fascinating. The real measure of generative AI’s potential lies in what artists can create with these tools, and how they can use them to devise unique, human-focused art forms. While this may seem contradictory, the essence of artworks lies in their connection to human experiences. AI tools can replicate aspects of this connection, but often lack the depth, making them seem a bit dull.
However, as AI tools evolve, our application of them will also advance. This is why their integration into platforms we regularly engage with, like Instagram, is a crucial first step.
As of now, Instagram hasn’t revealed when these features will be released, but we can expect to see more AI functionality blending into our IG feed in the near future.
