Meta has unveiled Muse Image, a new artificial intelligence model developed by its Meta Superintelligence Labs, available from Tuesday across the Meta AI app, Instagram Stories and WhatsApp. The tool, internally code-named Mango, allows users to generate images from text prompts, edit existing photos, and even manipulate public Instagram profiles of other users — a feature that has already drawn sharp criticism.
Among the most controversial capabilities is the ability to tag another Instagram user whose profile is public and use their picture as the basis for a new AI-generated image. Meta’s policy states that users “will not be notified” when their content is used in this way, though the company claims individuals can disable the feature through privacy settings. Critics, including social media users and digital rights campaigners, have described the opt-out-by-default approach as a “privacy landmine”.
Meta’s chequered privacy record adds to the unease. In 2019, the company paid a then-record $5bn fine to the US Federal Trade Commission after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which data from millions of Facebook users was harvested without consent. The company also shut down its facial-recognition system in 2021 amid legal pressure over biometric data collection. For UK users, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has previously signalled a tough stance on generative AI that processes personal data without clear consent, and the EU’s AI Act imposes strict transparency obligations on such systems.
Beyond the privacy row, Muse offers a range of legitimate applications. Users can create custom advertisements, experiment with interior decorating — including visualising secondhand furniture listed on Facebook Marketplace — and edit images by removing unwanted objects or generating QR codes. The model also includes “presets” to help users start creating quickly. Meta says everyday use is free, but a subscription will be required once a usage limit is exceeded.
For UK businesses, the tool could lower the cost of ad creation and product visualisation, particularly for small retailers using Facebook Marketplace. However, the opt-out consent model may conflict with the ICO’s expectation that users give informed, unambiguous permission before their data is used to train or prompt AI systems. Consumer groups have warned that the feature could erode trust in social platforms, while legal experts note that the UK’s Data Protection Act 2018 requires organisations to notify individuals when their personal data is used for new purposes.
Meta has confirmed that a video-generation version, Muse Video, is already in development. The company continues to invest heavily in AI infrastructure, despite criticism that its strategy lacks coherence. For now, the focus remains on Muse’s rollout — and the privacy storm that has accompanied it.