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Meta's AI-powered Instagram recommendations drive double‑digit usage rise
Meta Platforms reported that global time spent on Instagram grew by double‑digit year‑over‑year in the most recent quarter, attributing the surge to AI‑enhanced recommendation systems for the Feed and Reels. The company said large language models now scan every public Reel and post to analyse topic and tone, and that the latest Reels ranking update added a 15‑basis‑point lift in sessions, with stronger reshares and longer viewing times.
Earlier in July, Meta launched the Muse Image feature, which used AI to generate images from public Instagram photos of users over 18 without prior notice. The rollout sparked privacy concerns and was discontinued in less than a week. Users can now block Meta’s access to visual content via Instagram settings, though no similar controls exist for text, comments or audio.
Meta also faces regulatory pressure: more than two dozen U.S. states have sued the company, alleging its platforms are designed to be addictive to teenagers. Meta disclosed $2.40 billion in legal charges linked to those proceedings and expects continued scrutiny. The firm plans to extend the same AI‑driven recommendation approach to Facebook, while investing heavily in AI infrastructure.
Entities
Instagram · Mark Zuckerberg · Meta Platforms Inc. · Muse Image · Susan Li · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [DISPUTED] Users can manually restrict Meta's access to visual content via Instagram settings, but no similar control exists for text, comments, or audio. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk
- [DISPUTED] Every public Reel and post on Instagram is processed by a large language model to analyze topic and tone. dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · dailyguardian.ae · www.blikk.hu · www.blog-nouvelles-technologies.fr · +5 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Muse Image feature was shut down within less than a week after a privacy backlash. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · www.digitaltrends.com · petapixel.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] More than two dozen U.S. states have filed lawsuits alleging Meta's platforms are designed to be addictive to teenagers, and Meta disclosed $2.40 billion in legal charges related to those proceedings. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · petapixel.com · www.digitaltrends.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] Global time spent on Instagram grew by double digits year over year in the most recent quarter. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · dailyguardian.ae · www.blog-nouvelles-technologies.fr · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The growth was largely driven by improvements to the feed and Reels recommendations. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · dailyguardian.ae · www.blog-nouvelles-technologies.fr · +5 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Meta launched the Muse Image feature in early July, allowing AI‑generated images from public Instagram photos of people over 18 without prior notice. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · www.digitaltrends.com · petapixel.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] Meta's AI recommendation updates produced a 15‑basis‑point increase in Instagram sessions. www.blikk.hu · dnyuz.com · dailytimes.com.pk · dailyguardian.ae · www.blog-nouvelles-technologies.fr · +5 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Meta plans to extend the AI‑driven recommendation processing to Facebook. dailyguardian.ae · petapixel.com · www.digitaltrends.com