Instagram's top boss, Adam Mosseri, is missing the mark when it comes to AI's impact on the platform. While he highlights the need for authenticity to stand out from AI-generated content, his approach overlooks a critical aspect: the platform is already flooded with robotic, formulaic content, not solely from AI but also from humans following the same algorithm-pleasing patterns. This content, designed to keep users scrolling, is a significant issue that AI will exacerbate, not just imitate. Mosseri's concern about AI's ability to mimic authenticity is valid, but he fails to address the root cause: the algorithm's influence on content creation. The algorithm rewards content that keeps users engaged, often leading to inauthentic, predictable posts from human creators. This is evident in the reposting strategies of influencers, who reuse content to catch different algorithmic waves. The pressure to produce content that 'feels real' and sustainable is immense, and the algorithm's design makes it challenging for creators to stand out with original, thought-provoking content. As AI becomes more sophisticated, it will replace these inauthentic, human-made posts first, as it excels at making predictions based on its training data. Mosseri's post hints at this reality, acknowledging the algorithm's impact on content quality. However, without a new incentive structure for real creators, the platform risks becoming a haven for inauthentic content, whether AI-generated or not.
