Meta launches Muse Image AI generator, automatically opts in public Instagram profiles for remixing

Launch and integration

Meta released Muse Image on 7 July 2026, its first AI image model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. The tool is integrated directly into Instagram, WhatsApp, and the Meta AI web app, and is free for everyday creation, with subscription plans for heavier use. A video generator, Muse Video, was previewed and is in development.

How Muse Image uses your photos

Any public Instagram profile is automatically opted in. A user can tag an account in a prompt, and Muse Image will pull public photos to generate a new image featuring that person's likeness. Meta frames this as a creative feature: "Whether you want to design a custom event invitation, mock up a collaborative creative concept, or generate a personalized graphic, tagging a username lets Meta AI use public photos to build a visual that's ready to post," the company wrote in a blog post.

Privacy concerns and lack of consent

There is no notification when someone uses your likeness. Wired confirmed that the help page states, "You will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta." Existing AI-generated images are not deleted even after you opt out. Gizmodo tested the feature and was able to generate images of a real-world friend the author had never interacted with on Instagram, without permission. A user on X called the default opt-in "a privacy landmine waiting to explode."

You will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta.

How to opt out

To prevent your photos from being used, you must navigate to Instagram's settings, tap the three lines, scroll to Sharing and reuse, and toggle off "Allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta." Wired noted that the setting had not yet appeared for all users on launch day. Switching your account to private also stops the feature, but does not remove images already created.

Meta's vision and broader AI push

A Meta spokesperson told The Independent, "It powers the social experiences we do best. People come to our apps to connect and share - Muse Image gives them new, creative ways to do exactly that." CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described the tool as a step toward "personal superintelligence," a goal he outlined in a July 2025 blog post. Meta Superintelligence Labs was formally launched in June 2025 and has spent billions recruiting AI talent from rivals. The company is also building Muse Video and continues to invest heavily in AI infrastructure despite criticism of a nebulous strategy.