Meta is fully committed to AI – so much so that it is now forcing AI on app users.
If you’ve been on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp at any time in the last week, you’ve most likely noticed that the search bars on all of these platforms now look different. Meta has integrated Build meta AI into these search barseffectively turning all of its platforms’ search functions into an AI chatbot.
That’s right: all search bars on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are now powered by Meta AI.
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users can now ask these platforms anything in the search bar, and Meta AI, based on Meta’s new open source Llama 3 open source Large Language (LLM) model, will answer these questions.
Here is the new Facebook Search powered by Meta AI.
Image credit: Mashable screenshot
But what if you don’t want to do that? When a user is on Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, it’s because they want to use the features these apps are known for. If someone wanted to use an AI chatbot, they would probably turn to ChatGPT, or a standalone meta-AI platform, or really one of the seemingly endless numbers of AI chatbots that are popping up almost daily these days.
How to disable Meta AI
You tilt Turn off Meta AI.
Destructible speed of light
Excuse me. We’re not trying to create clickbait here, but we know people are looking for ways to disable this feature and we’re trying not to waste anyone’s time. You just can’t turn off Meta AI.
If you hate Meta AI so much, the only way to actually remove it from your life from this moment on is to delete your Meta AI Facebook or Instagram Account.
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“Meta AI aims to be a helpful assistant and is available in the search bar to assist you with your questions,” Meta said in a statement. “You can’t turn it off in this experience, but you can search with a variety of results as you normally would.”
Meta AI has Reportedly shared with users When asked if I wanted to turn it off, are there ways to do it. But Meta AI is wrong. Remember, AI chatbots can’t really do that think in the way people assume when they watch movies about self-aware AI. Instead, it’s just a language model that aims to satisfy the user by giving them the information they think they’re most likely hoping for – sometimes even when that information is wrong.
However, as Meta explained, users can still use the search functions as before on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Mashable tried it. Searching for profiles, users, posts and more continues to work as before – no AI required.
In the event that Meta decides to offer an option to disable Meta AI, we will update this article to provide you with the step-by-step process for doing so. But until then, Meta AI is here to stay.
But while the little Meta AI logo in the search bar can be annoying and AI suggestions pop up every now and then, for the most part users can just ignore the AI and use Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp search as usual.