AI in your Instagram

Ugh, I mean, really?

Yeah, apparently really..

Hey there gorgeous,

This week been Instagram/ Meta started rolling out their new ‘Meta AI’ search function.

And it seems pretty much no one is happy about it (just check out .@mosseri ‘s feedback on Threads from when he announced it..)

So today I thought I would take a quick look at what Meta AI is, and how you might start to think about it/ use it and also what you might want to avoid using it for, going forward.

First up, if you haven’t got the function yet, it can be found in your Search bar, and this is what it looks like:

So, how and why would you use Meta AI in Instagram?

Ostensibly you can use the AI function just like you would use the search function of old. In fact, if you want to search for anything, the AI option is the only one you have now.

1. Click on the search icon at the bottom of your screen.

2. This will open the explore page, at the top of which you will find the search bar, now with the words “ask Meta anything” inside it.

3. Type in your search query, be it an account name, hashtag or topic and the old search function results will come up and you can use them like normal.

You can also click on one of the suggested topics running across just underneath your Search bar (these are trending topics) to see suggestions.

Also, and, this is where the difference lies when comparing it to the old Search bar, you can basically ask it anything. A lot like Google in some respects. Or ChatGPT. Except Meta I would hesitate to suggest, gatekeeps the answers to your queries in a much bigger way than Google and arguably ChatGPT. And is collecting all the information you input and how you respond to their outputs at the same time (for further monetization).

Which I think is where the big ick factor comes into play.

Meta launching Meta AI with the tag line “ask me anything” comes off as (1) pretty arrogant, which it is and (2) pretty underhand, because they are trying to coopt their platform with its many, many users, to go head to head with ChatGPT and Google et al all the while increasing the depth and breadth of what they know about us as users and consumers.

And while this sort of information is being gathered all the time about us with every interaction we have in the online world already anyway, having it so in your face, deep in what feels like the privacy of your own Instagram interactions, seems rather a blatant flouting of the rules of engagement with which we have become so accustomed.

Before we move on to what I think this means for us as Quiet Creatives, lets take a quick peek at what happens when you ask a query instead of making a simple search request.

If you click on one of the suggested topics under the search bar you will be taken into a DM exchange with Meta AI where you will have suggestions made and the option to click through using Bing (yuck!) to access the resources online.

If you ask a question, like any question you may pose to chat GPT then you will get a typed out response like in ChatGPT.

I think the thing I really want to caution here is that just because you can use this function, doesn’t mean you necessarily should.

Obviously using it as a search bar is important, but starting to lean into using AI as the repository for the answers to all your questions, particularly inside the Meta universe, may be something you simply want to avoid altogether.

Apart from the obvious ick factor of Meta knowing even more about your every thought and concern…

My experience with ChatGPT and now after a little playing with Meta AI is that when it comes to creatives working in a small niche, the answers you will get to your queries (not necessarily your website searches) are likely to be generic in nature and not necessarily the best at serving you well. Assuming you’re asking questions about work related things that is (and I definitely would not want to be asking any questions with even a vaguely private nature for example health related questions).

AI is nothing if not the great homogeniser of the human race.

As Quiet Creatives I would argue we do operate in small niches, or at least we want to be doing so, because in order to sell the unique value our creativity brings to peoples lives, and be known for what we do, we must occupy our own creative worlds.

When we start looking and creating like other people, and the distinction between our endeavours is lost, there is no reason for people to engage with us (our authenticity will be corroded) or purchase from us specifically.

Think about all the artists and creatives you follow on Instagram the you instantly recognise and deeply love. My bet is that they all stand in their own fields creatively, doing their own things, in their own, deeply recognisable way. We develop deep connections with these accounts because of their authenticity. And if you want to be known (both online and off) commitment to showing up authentically is one of the most important keys to creative success.

So where does this leave us?

I think we are only just at the beginning of a great many changes in this space. And change can be hard to navigate and it can take a lot of energy. But my aim is to help wade through all the poo and help find a path to authenticity for my fellow Quiet Creatives on Instagram, and in their marketing endeavours in general.

Let me know how you’re feeling in the comments. Did you have a visceral “*(^% no!” response when you woke up to Meta AI, or has it not rolled out yet for you?

X Ilona

PS On re-reading this before publishing I realised I didn’t ask if anyone likes the new AI feature. I kind of assumed everyone would just be a ‘hell no’. If you’re a ‘hell yes’ kind of person please do comment and let us know why. xx