Instagram announced on August 31, 2026, a change in how it identifies accounts featuring people generated or largely created using artificial intelligence, with the possibility of reducing the reach of accounts that do not clearly disclose this fact. The platform says the goal is to help users know whether the person appearing on an account is real or the product of AI tools.
Clearer Label and Penalty for Lack of Disclosure
Instagram will replace the name of its current “AI creator” label with the label “AI-generated profile.” According to the platform, the new name is worded to make its meaning easier to understand, as it directly indicates that the person appearing on the account was generated by AI or created largely with it.
Under the change, account creators who do not use the label correctly may have the reach of their content reduced. By contrast, an account will not be penalized merely for featuring an AI-generated person if it uses the new label to disclose that fact.
Instagram does not require this classification for every piece of content produced or modified with an AI tool. The platform explains that editing images, improving captions, creating graphics, or making other creative changes does not require the “AI-generated profile” label.
Why Does This Change Matter?
The step comes in response to complaints from users who said they encountered accounts that appeared to belong to real people, only to later discover that the featured character had been generated entirely by AI. In practice, the policy does not prevent the creation of these accounts, but it shifts disclosure from being an unclear option to a factor that may affect content distribution if it is absent.
The policy is gaining importance as virtual influencers become more widespread across social media platforms. An investigation by Wired magazine earlier this year reported that the gay dating app Goose was linked to a network of more than twenty accounts that appeared to feature AI-generated male influencers, while some of these accounts communicated with users through direct messages to encourage them to sign up, according to the investigation.
The New York Times also reported in July that it had found hundreds of AI-generated doctors, therapists, and health and wellness figures, some of which promoted dietary supplements or made health claims to users.
What Does the Policy Leave Unresolved?
Instagram explains when the label is not required, but the available material does not provide details about the standard for measuring “reduced reach,” the method for detecting undisclosed accounts, or the process for appealing the decision. The policy’s practical impact therefore remains tied to how consistently it is implemented, rather than simply to changing the label’s name.
The announcement follows criticism directed at Instagram over a tool that allowed users to create images using likenesses of other people. Users objected to the use of their public content without explicit consent before Meta removed the tool. It also came amid broader scrutiny of Meta platforms, following an $18 billion settlement with U.S. states over allegations concerning Facebook and Instagram’s impact on children and teenagers, according to the source.