Photo: IMEN BEN YOUSSEF / AFP / Getty Images
Meta has disabled its new AI image generator, Muse Image, just days after its launch due to privacy concerns. The feature, which allowed users to create images using content from public Instagram accounts, faced backlash for being an automatic opt-in feature. Users could tag a public feed, and the AI would generate images that remained online permanently. Meta stated, "We've heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it's no longer available."
The decision to remove the feature was welcomed by the Hollywood union SAG-AFTRA and the talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). SAG-AFTRA criticized the feature for not requiring a clear opt-in, describing it as "an utter miscalculation of public sentiment regarding the obvious dangers and harms inherent in such use." A spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA stated, "With the dangers of nonconsensual digital replicas well known to all, a feature that encouraged that behavior is unwise. We appreciate its discontinuance."
Meta's move reflects increasing pressure on tech companies to give users more control over how their publicly shared content is used by AI technologies. The feature, launched on Tuesday (July 7), was part of Meta's AI chatbot, allowing users to edit generated images directly through sketches. Despite its removal, other features of Muse Image remain available.
Criticism also came from privacy advocates and celebrities concerned about non-consensual digital replicas. Apar Gupta, director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, criticized Meta's approach to user consent and privacy. The CAA emphasized that no one's likeness or creative work should be used without clear, documented consent.
The backlash against Muse Image is part of a broader concern over AI technologies in the entertainment industry. Celebrities like Matthew McConaughey have taken steps to protect their likenesses from unauthorized AI use. Meta's decision to disable the feature highlights the ongoing debate over privacy and consent in the digital age.