The tool created by Meta, parent company of Facebook, can be used to “get things done, learn, create and connect with the things that matter to you,” according to a news release from the company April 18. Meta AI is free and can be used in feeds, chats, search and more without having to leave the app you’re using. It also has an image generation tool that can quickly produce AI images and GIFs.
The feature is now available to use in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, the U.S., Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Here’s what you should know about Meta AI.
What is Meta AI?
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, rolled out the new, free AI feature available on those platforms to more than a dozen countries in English, including in the U.S.
According to a news release from the tech giant, Meta AI allows users to “access real-time information from across the web without having to bounce between apps.”
Meta AI can be accessed in the Facebook feed and on Instagram search, and Meta is rolling out beta testing in the U.S. on WhatsApp to create images from text in real time using the AI’s Imagine feature.
You can also access the tool on its own website, meta.ai.
Can you turn off Meta AI on Facebook or Instagram?
There is no option to disable the feature, Meta AI confirmed in a chat, but people can continue to search as they normally would to “engage with a variety of results.”
Meta unveiled its artificial intelligence tool, Meta AI, last week in more than a dozen countries across its various platforms,…
The Meta AI tool is present on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger to varying degrees, appearing in feeds, chats, searches and other components of the platforms. While Meta advertised the tool as a way to “get things done, learn, create and connect with the things that matter to you,” many users have found the unsolicited presence of AI functionality nothing more than annoying.
The bad news is that you cannot simply opt out of the Meta AI entirely. There is no kill switch to turn it all off, but people are still dedicated to finding ways around the unwanted intrusions. One of the most bothersome features, Meta AI chat, for example, can be curtailed following a few simple steps.
Hoping to turn your Meta AI chat off? Here’s how in a few quick steps:
How to turn off Meta AI chat on Facebook
◾ Open Facebook and look for the search bar at the top of the page. Instead of a magnifying glass, it now appears as a blue-gradient circle.
◾ Once in the search bar, click the blue arrow that appears to the right.
◾ This will take you to the Meta AI chat. Look for the “i” icon in the upper right corner and click it.
◾ Click the “mute” option that appears on the next page.
◾ Select how long you want to mute the chat. If you’re looking to do so indefinitely, choose the “until I change it” option.
How to turn off Meta AI chat on Instagram
The process on Instagram is much the same as Facebook, just on a slightly different interface.
◾ Locate the search bar at the top of the page and click it. Again, what was formerly a magnifying glass may now appear as a circle. Click the arrow that appears to the right of the search bar.
◾ This will again bring you to Meta AI chat. Click the “i” icon located in the top right-hand corner of the page.
◾ Select the “mute” option that appears on the following page.
◾ Click the slider at the bottom that says “mute notifications,” then select the duration of time you want the chat muted. Again, choose the “until I change it” option if you want it turned off indefinitely.
While these steps won’t scrub the presence of Meta AI completely from your Facebook and Instagram experiences, they will mute and prevent notifications from Meta AI chat, one of the features netizens have found most bothersome.
You can continue to use the “search” functions on both platforms like normal but may see AI-suggested searches interspersed in regular search results.
AI functions may appear when scrolling through your feed as well, appearing as full-sized advertisements and cards or under regular posts with offers of “ask Meta AI” and “tell me more about…..” Unfortunately, this cannot be turned off at this time, but you can avoid clicking them to continue your browsing as usual.
In WhatsApp and Messenger, simply delete the Meta AI chat thread that appears in the apps. This will remove the conversation and remove it from your contact list, making the AI functions relatively easy to ignore.
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