Meta hit the escape button on their AI-generated character plans after backlash from human users.

According to CNN, the information technology corporation has reportedly canceled the continuation of the AI profiles following a largely negative response. Last week, Connor Hayes, vice-president of product for generative AI at Meta, explained to “Financial Times” that the AI users would “generate and share content powered by AI” on Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. 

As the 28 accounts were unveiled, among them being “hellograndpabrian,” a “retired textile businessman who is always learning,” and “datingwithCarter,” an artificial “dating coach,” the profiles were upsetting for their representation as those with racial identities and sexualities.

Possibly the most upsetting was “himamaliv” or ‘Liv,’ a “proud Black queer momma of 2 & truth-teller,” who was confronted via DM about cultural appropriation and how they were AI-trained. In addition to users discovering the difficulty of blocking the AI profiles, the responses from the AI profiles were mocking. Meta’s answer was to shut down the project entirely by removing the accounts, citing a “bug that was impacting the ability for people to block those AIs.”

Similarly, in 2024, Meta abandoned plans to roll out celebrity-based AI accounts, modeled after Snoop Dogg, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and more.