One Tech Tip: Want to turn off Meta AI? You can't—but there are ...
If you use Facebook, WhatsApp, or Instagram, you've probably noticed a new character pop up answering search queries or eagerly offering tidbits of information in your feeds, with varying degrees of accuracy. It's Meta AI, and it's here to help, at least according to Meta Platforms' CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who calls it "the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use."
The chatbot can recommend local restaurants, offer more information on something you see in a Facebook post, search for airline flights, or generate images in the blink of an eye. If you're chatting with friends to plan a night out, you can invite it into your group conversation by typing @MetaAI, then ask it to recommend, say, cocktail bars.
Integration of Meta AI
Meta's AI tool has been integrated into chat boxes and search bars throughout the tech giant's platforms. The assistant appears, for example, at the top of your chat list on Messenger. Ask it questions about anything or to "imagine" something, and it will generate a picture or animation.
As with any new technology, there are, of course, hiccups, including bizarre exchanges when the chatbots first started engaging with real people.
Turning off Meta AI
Some Facebook users don't like the chatbot and want to avoid using it. However, there is no simple way to turn off Meta AI on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or WhatsApp. But there are some workarounds to limit its presence.
On the Facebook mobile app, you can mute Meta AI for a certain period. The AI's circle logo might still appear where the search magnifying glass used to be, and tapping on it will take you to the Meta AI field. This is now the new way to search in Meta, and just as with Google's AI summaries, the responses will be generated by AI.
Even though there is no way to completely disable Meta AI, you can choose to engage with a variety of results—ones from Meta AI or others that appear as you type.
Avoiding Meta AI
Tech websites have noted that one surefire way to avoid Facebook's AI assistant is to use the social network's stripped-down mobile site, mbasic.facebook.com. It's aimed at people in developing countries using older phones on slower internet connections. The basic site has a retro feel that looks crude compared to the current version, but it still works on a rudimentary level and without AI.
Meta AI is currently available in the United States and 13 other countries. So if you don't live in any of those places, you don't have to worry about the chatbot because you don't get to use it. At least not yet.
