Meta möchte, dass KI-Charaktere Facebook und Instagram „auf die gleiche Weise füllen, wie es Konten tun“, musste aber auch einen demütigenden ersten Lauf seiner offiziellen Bots löschen | Die Theorie vom „toten Internet“ ist noch nicht wahr, aber es scheint, als ob einige Leute uns wirklich so schnell wie möglich dorthin bringen wollen.

Submission statement: The conspiratorial “[dead internet theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Internet_theory)”—that most online activity is just a haze of self-perpetuating algorithmic noise⁠—is not true, yet, but it sure seems like some people really want to get us there as quickly as possible. As reported by [404 Media](https://www.404media.co/metas-ai-profiles-are-indistinguishable-from-terrible-spam-that-took-over-facebook/), Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta has hastily deleted a swathe of experimental AI character accounts that were uncovered after a Meta executive indicated such content was “where we see all of this going.”

Speaking to the [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/91183cbb-50f9-464a-9d2e-96063825bfcf) on December 27, Meta executive Connor Hayes stated, “We expect these AIs to actually, over time, exist on our platforms kind of in the same way that accounts do.” Hayes further added, “They’ll have bios and profile pictures and be able to generate and share content powered by AI on the platform… that’s where we see all of this going.”

If that sounds absolutely abysmal to you, you’re not alone: Hayes’ comments drew ridicule and anger given the already dire state of AI-generated “slop” on Instagram and (especially) Facebook. More fuel was added to the backlash as users on Twitter and Bluesky began uncovering and sharing older AI-generated profiles from a 2023 test by Meta⁠—for what it’s worth, these characters were not part of some new rollout in tandem with the Financial Times story.