Meta Pulls AI Image Feature Just Days After Debut Amid Privacy Concerns

Meta has withdrawn an AI-powered image generation feature just days after introducing it, following widespread criticism over privacy issues and concerns raised by users and industry groups. In a statement released on Friday, the company said the tool was intended to offer a creative way for people to generate images while giving them control over whether their public Instagram content could be used. However, Meta acknowledged that the feature did not meet users' expectations and confirmed it had been removed.

The feature, called Muse Image, debuted earlier this week as Meta's first image-generation model developed by its Meta Superintelligence Labs. Integrated into the Meta AI chatbot, it allowed users to create and edit AI-generated images using publicly available Instagram photos as prompts. Shortly after its launch, the tool faced strong criticism because it was enabled by default, prompting concerns that users' public images could be used without explicit permission.

Actor Hannah Einbinder, best known for her role in Hacks, publicly criticized the feature on Instagram, noting that it had been activated automatically and encouraging users to disable it. The performers' union SAG-AFTRA also urged Instagram users to opt out, arguing that features involving personal images should require clear and informed consent rather than automatic enrollment. The union stated that allowing such uses without an obvious opt-in mechanism ignored growing public concerns about the risks associated with AI-generated content and digital likenesses.

After Meta announced it was discontinuing the feature, SAG-AFTRA welcomed the decision. A spokesperson said removing the tool was the responsible course of action, particularly at a time when the risks of creating unauthorized AI-generated digital replicas are widely recognized. Meta's decision highlights the growing scrutiny technology companies face over how artificial intelligence systems handle user data and reinforces increasing calls for transparent privacy controls and explicit user consent in AI-powered services.