The AI boom is disrupting the creator economy, but Instagram’s chief says it could ultimately increase the value of human creators.
“I think in a world where there’s so much synthetic content, people are actually going to want more creativity and authenticity and humanity, not less. And I think that’s going to help us,” Adam Mosseri said on Lenny Rachitzky’s podcast, which aired Thursday.
Mosseri, Meta’s head of Instagram since 2018, said the platform has long invested in creators because users care about the people behind the content as much as the content itself.
“Instagram was never just about content, so people will really start looking for other perspectives,” he said.
“It’s always been about the person behind the content, the point of view, the reason for sharing it, the point of view. And I think that’s going to become more, not less, important,” he added.
Why Instagram isn’t afraid of AI content
Mosseri’s comments come as the creator economy grapples with the rise of AI-generated influencers, virtual models and synthetic videos.
As brands experiment with digital personalities that don’t require pay, vacation or even sleep, some creators worry that technology will threaten their livelihoods.
But Mosseri has consistently said that AI will ultimately increase the value of real human content.
He said in December that AI had effectively killed Instagram’s sleek aesthetic because “flattering images are cheap to produce and boring to consume,” adding that as social media became filled with “synthetic everything,” users increasingly wanted content that “felt real.”
Still, Mosseri said he expects AI to ultimately be a positive for Instagram.
“I think it’s going to be a tailwind, but it’s going to be a challenge,” Mosseri said.
Mosseri said Instagram should focus on helping users understand what they’re seeing, rather than restricting AI-generated posts.
“I don’t think AI content should be excluded,” he said. “I think it should let you know if the content is AI content.”
Instead, content should be judged by its quality and the people behind it, rather than the tools used to create it, he said.
Mosseri added that Instagram needs to get better at distinguishing between high-quality and low-quality AI content. But he said the platform’s long-term benefit lies in helping people connect with others.
“I think people are going to be looking for talent, so I think it’s going to be a tailwind for us,” he said.