Mosseri predicts growing anger over AI

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said on Tuesday that negative sentiment toward artificial intelligence will intensify in the coming years. Speaking on the Colin and Samir podcast, the executive acknowledged that public frustration with AI technology is rising, particularly within creative sectors. He stated that the current mood is defined by increasing anxiety, frustration, and anger regarding the role of AI in daily life.

Mosseri explained that the underlying driver of this backlash is often a fear of being left behind. He noted that while some complaints are valid, others are not, and that the situation will become more difficult for people outside the tech industry as well. "It’s not only getting worse, it’s going to continue to get worse," Mosseri said, predicting that the next couple of years will bring more friction between the public and AI developments.

The interview took place as Mosseri discussed the launch of widescreen and long-form video features for Instagram. He addressed how the platform handles AI-generated content, noting that Instagram does not currently rank AI creators differently from human creators. However, he questioned whether the algorithm treats AI content with the same quality standards as non-AI material, suggesting that it likely does not.

Mosseri used the term "AI slop" to describe low-quality artificial content but admitted that the label is applied too broadly. He highlighted a spectrum of quality, stating that there is excellent AI content alongside poor examples. This distinction matters as Instagram continues to refine its approach to managing the influx of synthetic media.

The platform has taken steps to manage AI presence since earlier this year. In August, Instagram began cracking down on AI-generated profiles after introducing a label for such accounts in the first half of 2026. Misleading content, such as celebrity deepfakes, remains a persistent issue. Earlier this month, Mosseri stated that the company is actively determining how to handle AI fakes but does not plan to ban the content entirely.

The executive said Instagram is now requiring AI accounts to label themselves to ensure users know whether what they are viewing is real or synthetic. He identified several specific concerns among users, including content ownership, model training on personal data, safety, and job displacement. These worries affect roles ranging from content creation to engineering and mathematics.

Mosseri concluded that at its core, the anxiety stems from a fundamental fear of being left behind. He suggested that direct conversations with users reveal this underlying apprehension more clearly than public complaints might indicate. The company continues to monitor these trends as it integrates new video formats and AI tools into its ecosystem.