David Bridges
While 2024 introduced significant advancements in social platforms integrating AI technologies, the upcoming year is poised to take this evolution even further. Meta is set to amplify the presence of artificial intelligence within user feeds, reshaping the social media landscape in unprecedented ways.
So, how exactly does Meta plan to achieve this ambitious goal?
In addition to deploying AI chatbots across various functionalities, Meta aims to roll out millions of generative AI characters that will assume the role of genuine users on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, fundamentally altering user interaction.
According to Connor Hayes, the Vice President of Product for Generative AI at Meta, an expansive array of new AI profiles is on the horizon, ready to be activated within their applications.
“We expect these AIs to actually, over time, exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that accounts do. They’ll have bios and profile pictures and be able to generate and share content powered by AI on the platform,”
Such developments are not entirely unexpected.
In an insightful interview conducted in August, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg elaborated on the transformative potential of AI:
“Every part of what we do is going to get changed in some way [by AI]. [For example] feeds are going to go from – you know, it was already friend content, and now it’s largely creators. In the future, a lot of it is going to be AI generated.”
This statement hints at Zuckerberg’s anticipation of increased user engagement with Meta’s generative AI tools, which enable the creation of stunning images and posts. Shortly after this revelation, Meta brought on board app developer Michael Sayman, known for his creation of Social.ai, an innovative application that allows users to interact with a multitude of AI bots, each designed with unique personalities and areas of expertise.
Clearly, the direction is becoming evident, as Meta seeks to integrate elements from Social.ai into its primary social media experiences. This strategy aims to showcase the advancing capabilities of its AI models while introducing fresh avenues for user engagement across its platforms.
This initiative, however, has sparked significant backlash online, with many users expressing strong disapproval towards the influx of bots in social applications.
Nevertheless, it’s important to recognize that social media users often have an instinctive resistance to change, raising the pivotal question: “Will this approach actually succeed?”
If Meta does, in fact, unleash millions of AI profiles on Facebook and Instagram, each tailored with a distinct personality and focused on specific subjects or interests, could this strategy enhance app usage and overall engagement?
The likely answer, whether one is in favor or not, is yes.
Consider the recent concerns raised on Threads regarding user challenges in expanding their followings. In contrast, Bluesky allows users to prioritize a “Following” feed instead of the algorithm-driven “For You” feed, leading many creators to assert that gaining followers and building an audience is significantly easier compared to Threads, where follower growth appears to stagnate quickly.
In response to the rapid popularity of Bluesky, Threads made efforts to update its algorithm, placing greater emphasis on content from profiles that users actively follow in their feeds.
However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that achieving follower growth on social media will never mirror the success once experienced on platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Modern algorithms prioritize user engagement, showcasing content similar to what users are already interested in. This shift, largely influenced by TikTok, has prompted platforms to encourage longer engagement times by relying on their recommendation algorithms instead of allowing users to curate their feeds through following.
The end outcome is that users no longer need to follow accounts as they can depend on the system to present content aligned with their interests. Consequently, the rates of following have significantly decreased compared to previous trends.
As a result, while growing a following presents challenges, creators remain keenly aware of this metric and desire to see their numbers increase.
Moreover, considering that only a small percentage of social media users actively post content, Meta recognizes the need to maintain the satisfaction of these users.
What occurs if Meta indeed launches millions of AI bots, each programmed to follow profiles associated with their specific areas of interest?
In this scenario, users could witness a dramatic increase in followers daily, while Meta could continuously deploy more bots to sustain this upward trend. These AI characters would also engage with user updates by posing questions, providing feedback, and offering encouragement.
Indeed, they are bots, but will users genuinely be concerned about that fact?
This leads to a crucial question: Will the artificial nature of this engagement diminish the satisfaction users feel when they see a surge of likes, comments, and new followers every time they update their status?
While I would hope that it would, I suspect that the reality may differ.
Instances of users employing “follow for follow” strategies to bolster their engagement metrics are already prevalent. Similarly, individuals have been known to purchase bot followers to create an illusion of popularity or buy likes to garner that quick burst of engagement.
Users are well aware that a significant portion of social media engagement is fabricated. Therefore, do you really think they will scrutinize whether the new bots artificially inflate their numbers in a different manner?
My assumption is that many users will simply appreciate the attention they receive, and that the presence of Meta’s AI bots will enhance overall engagement as a result. While it may not constitute genuine social interaction in the traditional sense, I believe many will welcome the increase in numbers.
There’s also a practical advantage to having AI bots serve as a sounding board, offering diverse perspectives on users’ posts. For instance, posting “What should I have for dinner?” could elicit responses from an Italian chef bot, a French chef bot, a health-focused bot, a deals and coupons bot, and more. Such interactions could provide valuable insights, enhancing the user experience in various ways.
However, this development may also have implications for influencers and those seeking brand collaborations. Brands will need to exercise increased caution when selecting “influencers” to partner with, as a significant proportion of their following could potentially consist of AI bots, diminishing their value for promotional efforts.
Setting this consideration aside, and assuming there are disclosure mechanisms in place to indicate the presence of AI bots (though I suspect Meta will attempt to obscure this), I can envision this strategy being advantageous for the company.
While the idea may seem undesirable, and the last thing we might need is an influx of bot accounts within social applications, the practical reality suggests that many users would be pleased with the additional engagement, regardless of its authenticity.
Ultimately, if the engagement numbers rise, I suspect that all other concerns will fade into the background.
Troy Sanders
Mason Thompson
