Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, is fully invested in the AI business model and is adding something new. Starting Dec. 16, Meta will begin personalizing ads and content recommendations based on how Facebook and Instagram account holders interact with the company's AI. Those recommendations could include things like Facebook posts and Instagram reels and, of course, ads based on your perceived interests.
Meta said it will start notifying customers of the update on Oct. 7. According to the company, the update will occur in the US and "most regions. "
The company said that interactions with its AI features, either by voice or text exchange, will help the social media platforms improve recommendations so that users are "more likely to see content they're actually interested in -- and less of the content they're not."
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An example of the notifications that people will see starting October 7, 2025.
You'll still have control over the content and ads you see via Meta's Ads Preferences and feed controls. How you interact with AI is your choice, and you'll see an indicator light that the microphone is in use. Consumers must give permission for the mic to be used.
Meta said that personalizing ads and content based on AI interactions is just an extension of the company's long-standing practice.
"Your interactions with content on Facebook and Instagram have long shaped what appears in your feed," Meta said. "Just like other personalized services, we tailor the ads and content you see based on your activity, ensuring that your experience evolves as your interests change. Many people expect their interactions to make what they see more relevant."
What customers might see
Let's imagine that someone asks Meta's AI questions about snowboarding. After that, they might start seeing ads or Instagram reels or Facebook posts related to snowboarding.
Meta said that AI interactions will only be used to personalize ads and content across platforms that you have added to its Accounts Center. So, if WhatsApp (another Meta product) is not in your Accounts Center, you will not see AI-personalized ads or content there.
Josh Belzman, analytics manager for Zenith Media Services, says it was "only a matter of time" before Meta used AI interaction for ad targeting.
"What's different is that we often treat AI chats as private conversations, sharing really personal, unguarded details about what we eat, where we travel, what they want to buy, even relationship and health questions," Belzman told CNET. "Meta says it will let you opt out of AI ad targeting but how many will? And how many people will change their AI interactions knowing they could be turned into ads?"
Security concerns
When it comes to AI, there are always questions about privacy, security and data misuse. Earlier this summer, Meta changed its AI chatbots after a Reuters report found that the bots could engage in "sensual" chats with minors. Actor and director Joseph Gordon-Levitt called Meta's AI chatbot dangerous for kids earlier this week.
A Meta spokesperson told CNET that the company has safeguards for the new personalization feature.
"We have a robust internal Privacy Review process that helps ensure we are using data at Meta responsibly for our products, including generative AI," the spokesperson said. "We work to identify potential privacy risks that involve the collection, use or sharing of personal information and develop ways to reduce those risks to people's privacy."