Meta's AI Assistant to Dictate Your Ads: No Opt-Out Option Coming This December

Meta AI to Influence Ads on Facebook and Instagram, No Opt-Out Option In a move that has sparked concerns about data privacy and personalized advertising, Meta announced plans to use conversations with its Meta AI assistant on Facebook and Instagram to personalize ads and content. Starting December 16, interactions with the AI chatbot will be used to adjust what users see on their feeds. According to Meta's announcement, the update aims to improve ad recommendations by learning from user interactions with the AI features. For example, if a user chats with Meta AI about hiking, they may start seeing ads for hiking boots or recommendations for hiking groups. "We're using this information to provide people with content that is more relevant and interesting to them," said a Meta spokesperson. "This update 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." The use of conversations with Meta AI to personalize ads has raised concerns about data privacy and the potential for targeted advertising. Users will not be able to opt out of this feature, which has sparked criticism from some experts. "This is a concerning development," said Dr. Kate Crawford, a researcher at Microsoft Research who has studied the impact of AI on society. "If Meta is using conversations with its AI assistant to personalize ads, it raises questions about what other data they are collecting and how they are using it." Meta's announcement comes as the company continues to face scrutiny over its handling of user data. In 2020, Facebook faced a $5 billion fine from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for violating users' privacy. The use of AI in advertising is not new, but this development marks a significant shift towards using conversational data to personalize ads. Meta's announcement has sparked debate about the implications of this technology on society and the potential risks associated with it. As the update rolls out on December 16, experts are warning users to be aware of how their conversations with Meta AI may be influencing what they see online. Background: Meta AI is a conversational AI assistant that allows users to interact with Facebook and Instagram through text or voice chats. The company has been testing this feature for several months and has announced plans to expand its use across all platforms. Additional Perspectives: "This update highlights the need for greater transparency around data collection and usage," said Dr. Timnit Gebru, a researcher at Google who has studied the impact of AI on society. "We're concerned about the potential for this technology to be used in ways that are not transparent or accountable," said a spokesperson for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Current Status: Meta's announcement marks a significant development in the use of conversational data to personalize ads. As the update rolls out, users can expect to see changes in their ad recommendations based on their interactions with Meta AI. Next Developments: As the use of conversational data in advertising continues to evolve, experts are warning about the potential risks associated with this technology. In the coming months, we can expect to see more developments in this area as companies continue to explore new ways to use AI in advertising. *Reporting by Techradar.*