Instagram Limits Reach of Undisclosed AI-Generated Profiles

Instagram is introducing new rules for AI-generated profiles, requiring creators to clearly disclose when the person featured in an account is created or substantially modified using artificial intelligence.

The platform said it is replacing its existing “AI creator” label with a new “AI-generated profile” label to make the disclosure easier for users to understand. Instagram will also reduce the reach of accounts that use AI-generated people without properly identifying them.

Instagram Targets Undisclosed AI Influencer Profiles

The new label is designed for profiles where the featured person is generated or significantly created with AI. Instagram said creators who use the label will not be penalised simply for having an AI-generated individual on their profile.

The policy does not apply to all AI-assisted content. Users who use AI tools for editing photos, improving captions, creating graphics or making other creative adjustments will not need to use the AI-generated profile label.

Instagram said the change follows feedback from users who encountered profiles that appeared to represent real people but later discovered the featured individual was entirely AI-generated.

“They want to know when a profile features an AI-generated person,” Instagram said in its announcement.

Growing Concerns Around AI-Generated Social Media Accounts

The update comes as AI-generated influencers become more common across social platforms. Some researchers and journalists have raised concerns about users’ inability to distinguish between real people and AI-created identities.

A Wired investigation examined a network of apparently AI-generated male influencer accounts promoting the dating app Goose. The report found multiple accounts that appeared to use AI-generated personalities and to interact with potential users on social media.

Health-related AI personas have also attracted attention. The New York Times reported on AI-generated doctors, wellness personalities, and health-focused accounts that promote supplements and make medically related claims online.

Meta Faces Wider Debate Over AI Content

Instagram has faced criticism over other AI features, including a tool that allowed users to create images using other people’s likenesses. After users raised concerns about content being used without clear permission, Meta removed the feature.

The company has also faced broader scrutiny over platform safety. Meta recently settled with U.S. states over allegations about the effects of Facebook and Instagram on children and teenagers, with new restrictions planned for teen users.

With the updated AI profile rules, Instagram is attempting to give users clearer information about whether they are interacting with real people or AI-generated identities.