Instagram is preparing for a rapid increase in AI generated images and AI video, as advances in generative artificial intelligence begin reshaping how content is created, edited, and shared on the platform.
Speaking about the direction of Instagram’s product roadmap, platform CEO Adam Mosseri said improvements in AI image generation and AI video tools are accelerating at a pace that will soon make synthetic content commonplace across feeds, Stories, and Reels.
“Social media platforms are going to come under increasing pressure to identify and label AI-generated content as such. All the major platforms will do good work identifying AI content, but they will get worse at it over time as AI gets better at imitating reality. There is already a growing number of people who believe, as I do, that it will be more practical to fingerprint real media than fake media. Camera manufacturers could cryptographically sign images at capture, creating a chain of custody,” said Mosseri.
According to Mosseri in a rather long Threads post, Instagram is already seeing early growth in AI assisted content creation, with creators using artificial intelligence for image generation, video editing, background replacement, animation, and visual effects. He said the platform expects this trend to intensify as AI tools mature and become more tightly integrated into consumer apps.
Instagram has confirmed that AI generated content will be clearly labeled, building on Meta’s broader policies around synthetic media transparency. Posts that are fully generated or heavily modified using AI tools will carry visible indicators, particularly in cases where realism could mislead viewers or imitate real people. The company has also invested in AI detection systems designed to identify synthetic images and AI video even when labels are removed.
The shift reflects Meta’s wider push into generative AI across its social media platforms. Over the past year, Meta has introduced AI image generators, text to image tools, automated captions, and experimental AI video features that allow creators to generate scenes or animations using simple prompts. These tools are being positioned as creative assistants rather than replacements for human creators.
Mosseri acknowledged that the rise of AI generated images and AI video presents new moderation challenges. As AI visuals become more realistic, distinguishing between authentic and synthetic media becomes harder. He said Instagram is expanding its moderation infrastructure to handle AI content at scale, with a focus on transparency, detection, and enforcement against deceptive use.
The Instagram head believes that the complaints about Instagram come from a dated perspective of what the platform really is. He argues that the era of “polished” square images is over. In his view, camera companies are “betting on the wrong aesthetic” by trying to make everyone look like a professional photographer from the past. Instead, he suggests that creators should embrace more “raw” and “unflattering” images to show their authenticity and distinguish themselves from AI-generated content. In a landscape where AI content dominates Instagram, it’s crucial for creators to focus on images and videos that intentionally showcase their imperfections.
Mosseri emphasized that the platform’s priority is maintaining user trust as AI content grows. While artificial intelligence expands creative possibilities, Instagram aims to ensure users can clearly understand what they are seeing and how it was made. The company expects AI assisted content to become a normal part of the Instagram experience rather than a novelty.
