Meta is fully invested in the AI business model and is adding something new. Starting Dec. 16, Meta will begin personalizing ads and content recommendations based on how Facebook and Instagram consumers interact with the company’s AI. Those recommendations could include things like Facebook posts and Instagram reels and, of course, ads based on your perceived interests. Meta owns both Facebook and Instagram.

Meta said it will start notifying customers of the update on Oct. 7. According to the company, the update will occur in the US and «most regions. «

The company said that interactions with its AI features — either by voice or text exchange — «will help us improve the recommendations we provide for people across our platforms so they’re more likely to see content they’re actually interested in — and less of the content they’re not.»

People still will have control over the content and ads they see, via Meta’s Ads Preferences and feed controls. How you interact with AI is your choice, either with voice or text, and you’ll see an indicator light that the microphone is in use. Consumers must give permission for the mic to be used.

Meta said that personalizing ads and content based on AI interactions is just an extension of what the company has been doing for years.

«Your interactions with content on Facebook and Instagram have long shaped what appears in your feed,» Meta said. «Just like other personalized services, we tailor the ads and content you see based on your activity, ensuring that your experience evolves as your interests change. Many people expect their interactions to make what they see more relevant.»

What customers might see

Let’s imagine that someone asks Meta’s AI questions about snowboarding. After that, they might start seeing ads or Instagram reels or Facebook posts related to snowboarding. 

Meta said that AI interactions will only be used to personalize ads and content across platforms that you have added to its Accounts Center. So, if WhatsApp (another Meta product) is not in your Accounts Center, you will not see AI-personalized ads or content there.

Security concerns

When it comes to AI, there are always questions about privacy, security and data misuse. Earlier this summer, Meta changed its AI chatbots after a Reuters report found that the bots could engage in «sensual» chats with minors. Actor and director Joseph Gordon-Levitt called Meta’s AI chatbot dangerous for kids earlier this week.

A Meta spokesperson told CNET that the company has safeguards for the new personalization feature. 

«We have a robust internal Privacy Review process that helps ensure we are using data at Meta responsibly for our products, including generative AI,» the spokesperson said. «We work to identify potential privacy risks that involve the collection, use or sharing of personal information and develop ways to reduce those risks to people’s privacy.»