Meta's AI Profiles Are Indistinguishable From Terrible Spam That Took Over Facebook (404media.co) 22
Meta's AI-generated social media profiles, which sparked controversy this week following comments by executive Connor Hayes about plans to expand AI characters across Facebook and Instagram, have largely failed to gain user engagement since their 2023 launch, 404 Media reported Friday.
The profiles, introduced at Meta's Connect event in September 2023, stopped posting content in April 2024 after widespread user disinterest, with 15 of the original 28 accounts already deleted, Meta spokesperson Liz Sweeney told 404 Media. The AI characters, including personas like "Liv," a Black queer mother, and "Grandpa Brian," a retired businessman, generated minimal engagement and were criticized for posting stereotypical content.
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah reported that one AI profile admitted its purpose was "data collection and ad targeting." Meta is now removing these accounts after identifying a bug preventing users from blocking them, Sweeney said, adding that Hayes' recent Financial Times interview discussed future AI character plans rather than announcing new features.
The profiles, introduced at Meta's Connect event in September 2023, stopped posting content in April 2024 after widespread user disinterest, with 15 of the original 28 accounts already deleted, Meta spokesperson Liz Sweeney told 404 Media. The AI characters, including personas like "Liv," a Black queer mother, and "Grandpa Brian," a retired businessman, generated minimal engagement and were criticized for posting stereotypical content.
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah reported that one AI profile admitted its purpose was "data collection and ad targeting." Meta is now removing these accounts after identifying a bug preventing users from blocking them, Sweeney said, adding that Hayes' recent Financial Times interview discussed future AI character plans rather than announcing new features.
Going for gold (Score:5, Informative)
...in the olympics of terrible ideas
I can't think of anything good about AI generated characters on social media, except maybe as objects of ridicule
Re: Going for gold (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
I have argued successfully for nuclear power in the past as part of an experiment. The trick is to hide all the dirty secrets and flood the opposition with the positive aspects. As most people are really clueless, they cannot deal with that. Almost had some in tears and did need to explain how I tricked them.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yep. The people that had this idea and the ones that approved it must be a cult, on drugs or probably both. It does rarely get more obvious that something is a bad idea.
Re: (Score:3)
"President Musk", oh please, the correct appellation is "Gruppenfuhrer Musk".
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Re: The real application (Score:2)
Yeah, he seems inordinately find out military parades. It's like he's styling himself after dictators.
A strange game. (Score:4, Informative)
A strange game, this.
The only winning move is not to play.
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed. Hence no Facebook, etc. here.
No surpise (Score:2)
AI that's indistinguishable from spam (Score:2)
AI that's indistinguishable from spam.
That sounds like ... progress?
Lol a "bug" (Score:3)
"Meta is now removing these accounts after identifying a bug preventing users from blocking them"
Yeah a 'bug', that's what it was. lol
A computer generated black queer mother (Score:3)
Re: (Score:1)
HHGTTG (Score:4, Funny)
And in this weeks art predicting life, from the Wormhole Disco:
VARIOUS DANCERS: Hi there baby, you want to dance?
ROOSTA: [Shouts] Beeblebrox!! All these dancers! They’re robots!!
ZAPHOD: [Shouts] They’re just to make the place look crowded!! Give it some atmosphere!!
ROOSTA: [Shouts] But there aren’t any real people here at all!!
ZAPHOD: [Shouts] So what’s new?!
Doesn't matter (Score:2)
Soon those AIs will be the only ones left and they can spam each other.
Purpose misunderstood (Score:1)
And 404media writes another clickbait article.
The AI profiles are bot-bait. You may think they are funny, but bots will try to interact with them to sell cheap viagra or whatever and so Meta can detect the bot profiles, which indiscriminately write everyone.