According to a recent leak, Meta (formerly known as Facebook) is working on a new feature for Instagram that allows users to create and customize a virtual friend. This raises questions about the potential applications of such an innovation and how it could help users manage their mental health or simply provide new entertainment.
Creating a virtual friend based on preferences
This information comes from Alessandro Paluzzi, a new technology expert who self-identifies as a “leaker,” in other words, someone who leaks information about future technological projects. In a tweet, Alessandro revealed that Instagram is working on the possibility of creating an AI friend, with several customization options such as gender, age, physical appearance, ethnicity, and even personality type. In a second tweet, he adds that users will also be able to select their virtual friend’s interests, define a name, and further customize their appearance. Gizmodo, which contacted Meta for comments on this leak, received no response from the company and no release date was provided.
A contribution to mental well-being?
Similarities can be noted between this project and Koko, a mental health app that offers around 4,000 clients a virtual counselor based on an artificial intelligence model. Just like Koko’s virtual assistants, would Instagram friends help users better manage their mental health? Will they be able to share their problems, seek advice, and find comfort in times of difficulty or distress? Without a response from Meta, it is difficult to determine whether this new feature of Instagram will simply be an entertaining gadget or if it will genuinely contribute to the well-being of some users.
Customized avatars for more enjoyable conversations
Meta’s vision goes beyond simple AI friends: the company wants to develop avatars with personality and specific areas of expertise to make conversations more interesting on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Future projects include Emu, an alternative to Midjourney capable of creating stickers for Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as Meta AI, a new competitor to ChatGPT and Google Bard. These artificial intelligences could be considered a new generation of characters, each with its own unique story – allowing users to feel a sense of familiarity when talking to these avatars.
The involvement of celebrities to bring avatars to life
To better embody these avatars, several celebrities are today lending their faces to this technology, such as Charli D’Amelio, Kendall Jenner, MrBeast, Paris Hilton, and Tom Brady. The face of rapper Snoop Dogg is also part of this novelty: he appears as a thumbnail and reacts with some facial expressions to users’ interactions. However, we can imagine that in the future, some vocal interactions will be activated when the experience related to these AI avatars is further refined.
A beta version for the United States
According to the latest available information, the beta version of this technology could be launched soon in the United States. We will have to wait a little longer before we can judge its true potential and understand all its implications for Instagram users. In conclusion, the creation of a personalized virtual friend on Instagram raises several interesting questions about its usefulness for users and its potential to improve mental well-being. The project is ambitious and exciting, and we are eagerly awaiting to see how Meta will bring this innovation to life in the coming months.
