Instagram's Chief Aims to Empower Authentic Creators with New Tools Amidst the Rise of AI Slop Content
As AI-generated content continues to proliferate online, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri is prioritizing the support of authentic creators on the platform. He suggests that "authenticity is fast becoming a scarce resource" and believes this will increase the demand for original creator content. Mosseri has hinted at new tools designed to help human creators compete with the increasing volume of AI-generated media, often referred to as "AI slop".
Mosseri explained that AI tools enable anyone to replicate creators' work, and this AI content is rapidly improving, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish from human-created content. This poses a challenge to platforms like Instagram, which are working to label AI content but face the overwhelming task of identifying and flagging everything.
To address this, Mosseri proposed a strategy shift: making it easier to verify what's real rather than solely focusing on identifying what's fake. He suggested that camera manufacturers could cryptographically sign images at capture, creating a technical seal of authenticity. This approach aligns with the work of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), which promotes an open standard for verifying the source and history of digital content. This would involve cryptographically signing media at capture and throughout the editing process, allowing viewers to trace an image or video back to its origins.
Several camera manufacturers are already taking steps in this direction. Leica has added Content Credentials to a production camera, and Sony and Nikon are also involved in similar provenance initiatives. If Instagram can effectively read and preserve these signals upon upload, the platform could highlight verified real-world media in feeds, reassure audiences, and reduce the need to constantly combat undetectable fakes.
In addition to provenance-based solutions, Instagram is also exploring tools that embrace a more "raw" aesthetic. Imperfection has become a sign of life in a world where everything can be engineered to perfection by machines. Accounts that display behind-the-scenes content and welcome a little imperfection might gain more visibility as Instagram adjusts its ranking algorithms to elevate human texture over algorithmic sheen.
Instagram utilizes AI to moderate content, detecting and removing content that violates community guidelines. Instagram also allows AI-generated content, including AI-generated music, artwork, and text, as long as it complies with Meta's broader content policies, including copyright protection, misinformation rules, and ethical AI use. Instagram encourages creators to be transparent and clearly indicate when content is AI-generated if it could be misleading. Failure to disclose AI involvement can lead to automatic labeling by the platform or reach restrictions.
Instagram has also launched tools to help creators understand their audience and refine their content strategy. These include Trial Reels, which allow creators to test content with non-followers. Other tools include a "quiet posting" feature, updates to the platform's Edits tools, and a music-sharing option. Instagram's AI matchmaking tools also analyze audience data and content styles to help brands find creators who authentically align with their marketing objectives.
