Instagram AI Feature That Lets Users Generate Profile Pictures Spotted in Development

An image of Instagram's purported AI-powered profile picture generation feature has been leaked by a developer.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 12 November 2024 20:20 IST

Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Eyestetix Studio

It is unclear if the AI feature will use an existing image to generate an image in different styles

Highlights

Facebook and WhatsApp are reportedly working on a similar feature
Instagram could let users generate new AI image for their profile picture
Instagram recently removed automatic feed refreshing when app is opened

Instagram could be working on a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that will allow users to generate profile photos. A new leak claims that the Meta-owned social media platform is testing a feature that will allow users to use AI models to create new profile pictures using AI. While not a lot is known about the feature at this point, similar features are reportedly being developed for Facebook and WhatsApp. Meanwhile, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri recently announced that automatic feed refreshing, which was triggered when the app is opened after a certain period, has been abandoned by the service.

Instagram Developing AI Profile Picture Generation Feature

Developer Alessandro Paluzzi found evidence of this feature on the Instagram app, and shared details in a post on Threads. He was able to find a new menu option when updating his profile picture on Instagram that says, Create an AI profile picture. A screenshot of the menu was also shared by the developer.

View on Threads

While it is difficult to say how exactly this feature would work as it is still in development, it will likely be powered by one of Meta's Llama large language models (LLMs). The feature could work in two ways — it could let users generate an AI image from scratch using text-based prompts or convert existing profile pictures in different styles using AI.

This wouldn't be the first AI feature to arrive on Instagram. The Meta-owned platform already offers access to Meta AI, its conversational chatbot, in the form of a standalone chat as well as in group chats. The company also rolled out an AI rewrite feature for DM messages, which allows users to rephrase and change the tonality of messages being sent to another user.

Meanwhile, Meta recently announced that it testing an AI-powered facial recognition technology to detect scam ads on Facebook and Instagram. The feature will spot ads that fraudulently use public figures in their ads to lure users and block them. It also revealed its plans to use the technology to verify users via video selfies to help them gain access to their compromised accounts. Neither of these features are widely available at the moment.

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Further reading: Instagram, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Meta

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More