Meta’s new AI image generation tool raises alarm in Hollywood and on Instagram

A new tool that lets people take publicly posted Instagram photos and use AI to generate new images from them is creating a backlash in Hollywood.

Instagram’s parent company, Meta, on Tuesday rolled out the new AI feature, called Muse Image, which makes it easy to “turn your ideas into high-quality visuals you can download and share anywhere.”

In a promotional video, Meta showed examples like adding a friend into a band photo.

But the tool is coming under fire from talent agencies, managers and union officials. They noted that many Instagram accounts were opted in by default, allowing users to manipulate the image and likeness of celebrities without their consent.

“I just think it’s wrong again to expect people to opt themselves out of something that literally has been proven to be able to create harm,” said Kyle Hjelmeseth, chief executive of Los Angeles-based influencer talent management firm G&B.

Century City-based Creative Artists Agency said it raised concerns with Meta on behalf of its clients.

“We call on Meta to make protection the default on Muse Image AI, not the exception, and enable individuals to opt-in if they want to allow usage of their image or likeness for AI content creation,” CAA said in a statement. “Artists deserve to decide if and how their likeness and work is used, with consent and the ability to set their own terms. This means letting creators impose restrictions, monitor usage, and prevent unauthorized endorsements or exploitation.”

Performers union SAG-AFTRA also was critical of the rollout.

“Anything other than a clear and conspicuous OPT-IN for these types of uses of Instagram users’ images is unacceptable, and an utter miscalculation of public sentiment regarding the obvious dangers and harms inherent in such use,” the union said in a statement.

Hollywood has long been wary of AI, after a string of deepfakes — videos or images depicting celebrities doing or saying things they never authorized. Jamie Lee Curtis and others have appeared in ads for products they never endorsed. Last year, OpenAI’s Sora 2 video tool drew outrage in Hollywood after users conjured up dead celebrities without their estates’ consent. OpenAI later said it would give rights holders more granular controls.

Meta said users can chose to opt out of having their photos used by Muse Image by changing their settings.

“We built Muse Image with strong controls and safety guardrails from day one,” Meta said in a statement. “Private accounts and those belonging to users under 18 are automatically excluded and adult users with public accounts can opt out with just a couple clicks. We will take action against any content that violates our Community Standards.”

The launch fits a familiar Silicon Valley pattern — ship products first, ask for forgiveness later.

“They leverage their scale to make it easy to use the tools as well as to scale out the content that is available,” said Mickey Maher, chief business officer at Vermillio, which tracks people’s digital likenesses and intellectual property. “It’s not unique to this Meta product.”

Others said opt-out should be the default.

“This dark pattern of AI overreach, where essentially it’s a free-for-all when it comes to your content, information, is something that nobody actually wants,” said Lori Fena, former chair and executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founder of New York-based Personal Digital Spaces. “What we need in this new AI ecosystem is the ability to create trust and to have some sort of understanding and authenticity, and this does exactly the opposite.”