You may soon be talking to an AI avatar of your favorite Instagram creator or celebrity

Update 31/07/24 11:00 am (IST): Following the release of its AI Studio, Meta has shutdown its previously launched celebrity chatbots. According to The Verge, Meta spokesperson Liz Sweeney stated that the company has learned from building these celebrity bots and Meta AI, and now views AI Studio as an evolution of this concept. While Meta had initially planned to expand its celebrity chatbot lineup, the company appears to be shifting focus towards enabling creators and individuals to create their own AI personas.

Original article published on July 30, 2024, follows:

Meta’s just dropped a bombshell in the AI and social media world. They’re rolling out AI Studio, a tool that lets anyone in the US create AI versions of themselves on Instagram or the web. Meta also highlights that you won’t need any tech skills to get set it up.

Here’s the deal: creators and business owners can now have AI profiles chat with their followers, answer DMs, and respond to comments. It’s like having a digital mini-me handling your social media presence 24/7. The company announced the arrival of its AI Studio via a blog post on July 29.

Want to get in on the action? If you’re in the US, you can start by heading to Meta’s website or firing up a new “AI chat” right in Instagram. Creators can customize their AI based on their Instagram content, set topics to avoid, and even choose which accounts it can interact with.

But that’s not all. AI Studio also lets you create brand-new AI characters from scratch. Think of it as Meta’s answer to platforms like Character.AI and Replika. You could make an AI chef to teach you cooking, a meme generator to crack up your friends, or even a travel guru for your next vacation.

However, Meta’s implementation isn’t quite like what Butterflies AI, an AI-focused social media platform, has to offer. Instead of just letting users chat with bots, Butterflies AI lets you create AI characters that actually post AI-generated images too, all by themselves. These characters then interact with other posts and can even engage in conversations with humans and other bots.

That said, Meta’s not blind to the potential risks. They’re making sure AI profiles are clearly labeled everywhere they appear. There’s also a handbook for creators that goes into the nitty-gritty of the AI creation process.

Still, let’s be real – with generative AI involved, there’s bound to be some hiccups. Remember when Meta first tested this with celebrity AI versions? Yeah, they’re probably bracing for some interesting scenarios.

Love it or hate it, AI avatars are coming to Instagram. Get ready for a future where your DM might be answered by an AI version of your favorite influencer or celebrity.