Meta has long touted its artificial intelligence image generation model, Muse Image, but the introduction has been accompanied by concerns from users who want to protect their content.
Muse has been integrated into Meta's flagship AI app, Meta AI, and, to a lesser extent, into its Instagram platform.
Muse Image, Meta says, makes it easier for users to “turn ideas into high-quality visuals” that can be downloaded and shared anywhere, “including directly to your feed, story or chat”.
“Muse Image also powers creative experiences on Instagram and WhatsApp,” Meta's news release read.
The model is currently available in the US and in some other countries that Meta did not list.
Several posts on Reddit and on other platforms, however, indicate some users are unaware that the pictures on their Instagram accounts could be used by Muse without their knowledge.
Some have pointed out that Instagram's default settings make such a scenario possible unless those app preferences are changed.
How to protect your Instagram photos and content
To take greater control over photos on Instagram accounts for users with access to Muse Image, they can tap on the settings icon in the upper-right corner of the app, scroll down and select “sharing and reuse”, and then proceed to turn off the option that allows “people to create with and reuse your content”.
Some users have also reported being able to change a setting that allows “people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta”, which would also limit access.
In terms of audio, users can block the option for others “to create with and reuse your original audio on Meta AI”.
A simpler way to limit Muse access to content is for users to make their Instagram feeds private, but that significantly limits the reach of posts.
Meta's AI pivot
Tuesday's debut of Muse Image was announced by Meta's chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, who joined the social media giant in 2025 after his previous company, Scale AI, received a significant investment from Meta.
Mr Wang's arrival at Meta was widely seen as an attempt by founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to have his company pivot to AI.
That pivot resulted in thousands of Meta employees being laid off as the company invested billions in AI research and development.
When Muse Image made its debut, Mr Wang also announced the preview of Muse Video, which will allow users to create video content as well.
This echoes a similar AI video generation app created by OpenAI, Sora, though the company has largely abandoned that project due to high costs and copyright concerns from other entities.
“There's a lot more in the pipeline,” Mr Wang posted on X.
Meta's push into consumer AI tools comes at a time when polls indicate increasing worries about AI over labour disruption, environmental impact and consumer rights.
Meta says Muse Image is the world's second most popular AI image generation model, just behind OpenAI's GPT Image 2.
Many in Meta's AI team have posted examples on social media platforms of how it's already being used.
“Images are just the beginning,” a news release announcing Muse Image read. “Meta is building entirely new ways for you to bring your ideas to life, getting one step closer to personal superintelligence.”
