Adam Mosseri warns negativity around AI is going to get worse as more people fear being left behind

Anxiety about AI is rising

In an interview on the Colin and Samir podcast, Mosseri discussed AI and the trend of college students booing technology CEOs at graduation ceremonies. He said negative feelings about AI extend beyond young people and creative workers.

Mosseri expects frustration and anger to grow over the next couple of years. He said some concerns are well founded and others are not, and that the effects will be difficult for many people.

How Instagram ranks AI content

Mosseri said Instagram does not treat AI creators differently in its ranking system. But he questioned whether AI content is ranked as effectively as material made without AI, noting that the platform sees both strong AI work and low-quality output. He also said the word “slop” is applied too freely to AI content, after previously discussing the term in a New Year’s slideshow.

Labels and misleading AI material

Instagram introduced labels for AI accounts earlier this year and began a crackdown on AI-generated profiles in August. Mosseri said the company is starting to require AI accounts to identify themselves so people can tell whether what they see is real.

Misleading AI material, including celebrity deepfakes, remains an issue. Mosseri said Instagram is working out how to respond, but does not consider banning all AI content from the platform practical.

Fears of being left behind

Mosseri listed worries about ownership of content and its use to train models, as well as safety and the possibility that AI could replace people in their jobs. He included creators, engineers and mathematicians among those who may worry about displacement. He said that, in deeper conversations, these concerns often come down to a fear of being left behind.