Meta has withdrawn a controversial Instagram feature that let people use artificial intelligence to modify photos taken from public accounts, only days after launching it. The tool allowed users to reference someone's public Instagram posts by @-mentioning their account, without notifying the account holder that their images were being used, and it drew swift criticism before the company reversed course. The episode highlights the recurring difficulty platforms face in adding generative-AI tools without opening the door to abuse.

The feature was part of Muse Image, a new AI image generator built by Meta Superintelligence Labs and unveiled earlier in the week alongside other AI tools. In a blog post on the Friday, Meta said its intent had been to offer "a useful creative tool" with user control, but conceded the feature "missed the mark" and was no longer available. Puck News founding partner Dylan Byers first reported the decision, noting it followed scrutiny from users and talent agencies including CAA; commentators pointed to AI's well-documented misuse for generating non-consensual explicit images, particularly of women, as an obvious risk the feature invited.