Meta discontinued its Muse Image tool after prominent backlash from entertainment guilds and unions. The feature, launched July 7th, allowed the generation of synthetic images based on users' public profiles unless they actively disabled it in their settings. Within three days, SAG-AFTRA and the Creative Artists Agency condemned the approach for failing to secure explicit consent before processing people's creative identities, prompting Meta to withdraw the service on July 10th and acknowledge the implementation did not align with its stated intentions around user control and transparency.

The episode highlights deeper fractures within creative sectors over artificial intelligence deployment. While some industry figures, notably director Martin Scorsese, see potential value in AI as a creative tool, others including Christopher Nolan have publicly rejected its use. Initiatives like Cate Blanchett's new consent-management platform reflect creator concerns about protecting their work without prior agreement, underscoring the ongoing debate between innovation advocates and those prioritizing individual rights and compensation.