Meta on Tuesday unveiled Muse Image, its new AI image generator built by Meta Superintelligence Labs, the company’s dedicated AI unit. The feature, which was internally code-named Mango, is now available for free through the Meta AI app, as well as on Instagram Stories and WhatsApp. However, the launch has already ignited a firestorm of criticism over privacy concerns, particularly regarding a feature that allows users to manipulate other people’s Instagram photos using artificial intelligence.

The central controversy revolves around Muse’s ability to let users tag any public Instagram account and then use that person’s images as a basis for generating new AI-created visuals. This photo-tagging function is enabled by default, meaning that unless a user actively changes their privacy settings, anyone can pull their public photos into the AI generator. Meta’s policy states that “people may be able to create content with your Instagram content using AI features at Meta” and that “you will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta.” This has drawn sharp rebuke from privacy advocates and users alike. One X user, after The Verge highlighted the potential for abuse, called it “a privacy landmine waiting to detonate.”

Meta has tried to assuage concerns by pointing out that users “have control” over the feature. In the Instagram app, there are settings that allow people to disable the AI use of their photos. But critics argue that an opt-out system places an unfair burden on users, especially those who may not be aware that their images are being used. This is not the first time Meta has faced such issues. The company paid a then-record $5 billion fine to the FTC in 2019 after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where data from tens of millions of Facebook users was harvested without consent. More recently, Meta shut down its facial-recognition system in 2021 amid lawsuits and regulatory pressure over biometric data collection. Muse’s default opt-out photo-tagging feature fits a pattern that users and regulators have flagged before: broad use of people’s data unless they actively turn it off.

Beyond the privacy controversy, Muse offers a range of other capabilities typical of modern AI image generators. Users can create humorous cartoons, custom artwork, and even generate images for practical purposes like advertising or interior design. The model comes with “presets” – prebuilt image prompts – to help users who lack inspiration. For example, someone can generate a stock photo of a “business team celebrating” or a “sunset over a tropical beach” without having to craft a prompt from scratch. The tool also supports prompt-based image editing, allowing users to make targeted changes to existing images, such as erasing a photobomber from a background or swapping out a color in a piece of furniture.

One of the more innovative applications is the integration with Facebook Marketplace. In a promotional video, a user leverages Muse to see what a secondhand couch might look like in their garage. This practical use case suggests Meta is trying to bridge the gap between AI-generated creativity and everyday consumer tasks, making the tool useful for shopping decisions. Additionally, businesses can use Muse to create custom ads, a move that aligns with the increasing adoption of AI in advertising over the past year.

Muse is free for “everyday creation,” but Meta has indicated that once users exceed a certain limit, they will need a subscription plan. The company has not yet disclosed the exact thresholds or pricing, but it’s a familiar model for AI tools, where heavy users pay while casual users remain on a free tier. The tool is accessible through the Meta AI app, as well as within Instagram Stories and WhatsApp, making it widely available across Meta’s ecosystem.

In addition to Muse Image, Meta announced that a video generation tool called Muse Video is “already in development.” This suggests the company is racing to keep pace with other AI video generators from rivals like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo. Meta has been expanding its AI offerings rapidly over the past year, releasing an AI assistant named Creator and a gaming app called Pocket that allows users to “vibe-code” video games. Despite this flurry of activity, analysts have noted that Meta’s AI strategy sometimes appears scattered, though the company remains committed to heavy investment in AI infrastructure in 2026.

The privacy backlash over Muse highlights a recurring tension in Meta’s approach to product launches. The company often pushes forward with new features that rely on user data, then backpedals or adds controls after public outcry. For instance, Instagram’s introduction of recommendations based on user activity similarly drew criticism before being refined. With Muse, the core issue is that the photo-tagging feature treats public Instagram photos as a publicly available dataset for AI generation, without requiring explicit permission from the original poster. Meta argues that public accounts imply a willingness to share content, but many users feel that allowing their photos to be manipulated by strangers crosses a line.

Legal experts also caution that the feature could run afoul of privacy regulations in jurisdictions like the European Union, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires explicit consent for processing personal data. In the US, there is no comprehensive federal privacy law, but states like California have enacted laws that give residents more control over their data. Meta’s default opt-out approach may not satisfy the requirements of those laws, potentially exposing the company to future lawsuits or regulatory fines.

Despite the controversy, Muse is rolling out globally today. The company has not indicated any plans to delay or alter the feature based on early feedback. However, given Meta’s history of responding to public pressure – like the pause of facial recognition in 2021 – it’s possible that the company will introduce more robust safeguards, such as a default opt-in system or mandatory notification when someone uses your photo. For now, users who wish to prevent their images from being used in Muse can navigate to Instagram’s settings and disable the “AI features” option under Privacy > Data Sharing. But many may not even know the option exists.

The launch of Muse comes at a time when Meta is trying to position itself as a leader in generative AI, competing directly with giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. The company’s heavy spending on AI infrastructure – including hundreds of thousands of GPUs and dedicated data centers – reflects this ambition. But as Muse demonstrates, the race to innovate can sometimes outpace considerations of user privacy and ethics. The response to this release will likely shape how Meta designs future AI features, especially those that rely on user-generated content.

Source: TechCrunch News