Meta is taking another step toward automating human interaction, with AI bots set to become a bigger part of Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta platforms. These AI-driven personas will have bios, profile pictures, and even the ability to generate and share content—essentially functioning like real users.
Connor Hayes, Meta’s VP of Product for Generative AI, explained that these bots will soon “exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that accounts do.” The goal? To keep users engaged, interacting, and, most importantly, staying on Meta’s platforms longer.
This move is the latest in Meta’s increasing reliance on AI to drive engagement. Earlier this year, they introduced AI Studio, which lets users create AI characters that can interact with their social media friends. They’ve also teased Movie Gen, an AI tool that creates 16-second videos from text prompts.
But while Meta is betting on artificial interactions, this strategy raises some serious concerns. Meta, the Problem with AI "Friends:"
Are AI “friends” just another way to keep users hooked?
Will social media become more artificial and less personal?
Can AI bots ever replace real friendships?
The biggest issue is that Meta is not solving the real problems of social media—it’s just adding another layer of artificial engagement. Instead of fostering genuine human connections, this shift reduces social interaction to a simulation, where users engage with AI personas instead of real people.
Meta, the Problem with AI "Friends"
At its core, social media was designed to connect real people. But over the years, it has evolved into something very different: an ecosystem where algorithms and engagement metrics dictate what users see, who they interact with, and how long they stay online.
AI-powered personas take this a step further. They blur the line between real and artificial, making it harder to distinguish between authentic connections and AI-generated interactions. This could lead to:
More isolation: Instead of helping people connect, AI bots could make social media even more isolating by replacing real friendships with artificial ones.
Manipulative engagement tactics: AI-generated content isn’t about meaningful interaction—it’s about keeping users scrolling and clicking.
Misinformation concerns: AI-generated posts and comments could spread misinformation even more effectively than human users, especially if bots start to "engage" in conversations.
At a time when social media has already been linked to loneliness, anxiety, and toxic online environments, adding AI-driven personas only deepens the disconnect between users and real human connection.
Why Socialode Takes a Different Approach
At Socialode, we’re building a social platform that prioritizes real, human connections. Instead of relying on AI-generated engagement, we focus on authenticity, privacy, and meaningful conversations.
No AI-generated friends—only real people connecting over shared interests.
Privacy-first interactions—you control who you connect with, without algorithms pushing content at you.
A social media experience built for meaningful relationships, not just endless engagement.
While big tech companies push AI as the future of social media, we believe that real friendships can’t be automated. Social media should be about connecting with people, not interacting with chatbots.
In a world where AI-driven engagement is becoming the norm, Socialode is creating a space where real connections still matter.
You Just Need To Be You.
Cheers,
The Socialode Team
