Meta has launched a new Meta AI Image Tool called Muse Image. The tool can create new images from simple text prompts. It can also use public Instagram profile photos to generate AI-made pictures. People can access Muse Image through the Meta AI app, a web browser, WhatsApp, and Instagram Stories. At the moment, the feature is only available to users in the United States. Meta says the Meta AI Image Tool uses advanced AI to understand detailed text prompts. It can combine more than one photo to create a new image. Users can also download their images or share them with others.
Meta Lets Users Create AI Images from Public Instagram Profile Photos
Soon after Meta announced the new tool, many people raised privacy concerns. They worry that AI can use public profile photos without clearly informing users first. Donald Campbell, the Advocacy Director at the technology rights group Foxglove, strongly criticized the feature. He said social media platforms have already seen many problems caused by AI-edited images that were created without people’s permission. According to him, adding another tool that can change real people’s photos could create more privacy risks. He questioned why Meta would introduce a feature that could make image manipulation easier.
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Privacy International also shared similar concerns. The organization said the new feature shows that some AI companies treat people’s photos and personal data as resources that can be used without enough protection. One social media user also shared concerns on X, saying that putting real people into AI-generated images without clear permission could become a serious privacy problem. The discussion comes as companies behind technologies such as Google Meta Gemini AI continue to expand their AI features and services.
Meta Says Users Can Choose to Opt Out
Meta says users still have control over how their public photos are used. The company explained that people with public Instagram accounts can stop others from using their images with Meta’s AI tools. To do this, users need to open Instagram Settings, select Sharing and Reuse, and turn off “Allow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features at Meta.” Meta also explained that this setting only appears for public accounts. If an Instagram account is private, other users cannot reuse its content, so private accounts already have this protection.
AI Image Tools Are Becoming More Common
Muse Image is one of many other AI image makers capable of creating pictures based on text. Quite a lot of organizations have such tools, which makes the market of AI images very competitive. Nonetheless, Meta’s service stands out through being associated with Instagram profile pictures. This gives people another option to create their own AI images based on already existing pictures.
Testing Muse Image with a request to create an image of herself driving a car, a BBC reporter got what she wanted, although not quite right. Her AI image had the steering wheel placed on the wrong side for a UK car. Thus, one can say that despite the ability to perform impressively, AI image creators can still commit some mistakes.
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Meta Plans More AI Features
According to Meta, Muse Image provides many creative features. People can choose ready-made templates, use suggested prompts, and even draw simple edits on their images before creating the final picture. Meta says the basic version is free for everyday users, while paid plans offer more image generation. Along with tools like Muse Image, Meta continues to expand its AI products, including the new Meta AI Smart Glasses.
It is also expected that Muse Image will later become available for Facebook and Messenger. Moreover, marketers will be able to make use of Muse Image in another platform offered by Meta. There are also reports claiming that Meta is working on creating Muse Video that would allow the generation of AI videos. It is believed that as Meta develops AI solutions, discussions regarding privacy and proper usage of AI will be very relevant. News source eTimes Pakistan.
