Instagram Leader Declares: Identifying Real Media to Outweigh Detecting Fakes

Adam Mosseri Encourages Highlighting 'Raw' Imagery for Authenticity

Since AI-generated visuals took control of our social channels in 2025, Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, foresees AI-driven content surpassing traditional imagery, profoundly affecting photographers and creators.

In detail, Mosseri conveyed his expectations for Instagram's transformation by 2026, pointing out the upheaval caused by AI. According to him, the qualities that once made creators unique—authenticity, connection, and genuine expression—are now accessible to anyone equipped with the right technology. As a result, feeds are increasingly saturated with counterfeit realities.

Despite these changes, Mosseri remains untroubled. He affirms the existence of compelling AI creations and suggests a new strategy for the platform: identifying genuine media instead of merely considering fraudulent ones.

Mosseri elaborates: Social networks will face mounting demands to correctly label AI-derived content. Although current efforts to flag AI are commendable, they may diminish as AI's ability to mimic reality improves. Many in the field, including Mosseri, argue for the practicality of confirming the authenticity of genuine media through techniques like cryptographic signing during capture, establishing a trackable history.

From a certain perspective, verifying original media might be more viable for Meta's broader goals. Historically, tools intended to expose AI influences, such as watermarks, have proven unreliable—they are easily erased or overlooked. Even Meta's own detection attempts lack clarity, as evidenced by the substantial investment of billions into AI, while admitting shortcomings in accurately identifying AI-generated or augmented visuals.

Mosseri's admission of this challenge is informative, signifying AI's prevailing edge. He seems to imply that managing Instagram's massive user base's understanding of authenticity should potentially shift away from Meta's remit. Instead, camera producers, whether digital or mobile, should devise verification systems akin to digital watermarks at the point of capture, although explicit methods for this remain undefined.

Concerning the potential discord with Instagram's photographers and content creators, Mosseri doesn't address the discontent explicitly. These groups often voice dissatisfaction, questioning why their works aren't prominently featured by Instagram’s algorithms to their audience.

Mosseri suggests that such grievances stem from a misaligned perception of Instagram's nature. The era of neatly curated square photos, in his view, is outdated. Camera manufacturers, chasing after bygone professional aesthetics, may be missing the mark. Instead, Mosseri champions a shift towards more 'unrefined' and 'unpolished' images as a means for creators to assert their authenticity amid a deluge of AI content. Pursuing visual narratives that embrace imperfection may become the new standard, ensuring creators stand apart as genuine.