Meta announces Generative AI Stickers and AI Editing Tools

At its Meta Connect event today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced two new AI-powered features: generative AI stickers and AI editing tools.

Generative AI stickers

Generative AI stickers are a new way to express yourself in Meta’s messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Stories. With generative AI stickers, you can create unique stickers by simply typing in a text prompt. For example, you could type “Hungarian sheep dog driving a 4×4” and Emu, Meta’s new foundational model for image generation, would generate a sticker that matches your prompt.

Generative AI stickers are currently in beta testing and will be available to English-language users over the next month.

AI editing tools

AI editing tools are a new way to edit your photos and videos using AI. With AI editing tools, you can change the style of your photos and videos, remove objects from the background, and even create new images and videos from scratch.

Meta demonstrated two new AI editing tools at Meta Connect: Restyle and Backdrop.

Restyle lets you reimagine the visual styles of an image by typing in prompts like “watercolor” or “collage from magazines and newspapers, torn edges.” Backdrop lets you change the scene or background of your image by using prompts.

AI editing tools will be available soon on Instagram.

Meta’s commitment to responsible AI

Meta has pledged to develop AI responsibly and ethically. The company says that it will indicate the use of AI in its images “to reduce the chances of people mistaking them for human-generated content.” Meta is also experimenting with forms of visible and invisible markers to help people identify AI-generated content.

Meta’s generative AI stickers and AI editing tools are exciting new features that have the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate and express ourselves. With these tools, we can now create unique and personalized content that is tailored to our specific needs and interests.

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Social Tech

TikTok Denies Reports of Potential US Sale to Elon Musk

by George Mensah 2025-01-19

TikTok has categorically denied reports suggesting that its U.S. operations might be sold to billionaire Elon Musk.

This statement came in response to a Bloomberg report claiming that Chinese officials were considering selling TikTok’s U.S. business to Musk if their efforts to overturn an impending ban in the Supreme Court failed.

“We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson told Variety.

TikTok’s Legal Battle Over U.S. Ban

The platform is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on whether the ban violates the First Amendment. On January 10, justices heard arguments, with initial indications suggesting they might uphold the ban. The restriction is set to take effect on January 19.

The ban stems from legislation signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024, allowing the government to block foreign-owned apps viewed as potential threats to national security. TikTok faces a January 19 deadline to divest its U.S. operations or risk removal from app stores across the country. Instead of complying, TikTok has chosen to challenge the law in court.

Reports of Contingency Plans

According to Bloomberg, Chinese officials are reportedly exploring alternative options, including the possibility of selling TikTok’s U.S. branch. One scenario mentioned involves Musk’s company, X (formerly Twitter), taking over TikTok’s U.S. operations in collaboration with ByteDance, the app’s Chinese parent company.

This speculation has drawn attention due to Musk’s perceived alignment with President-elect Donald Trump. Trump recently requested the Supreme Court delay the ban, stating his intention to address the issue diplomatically after taking office.

Broader Context and Implications

The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the U.S. and China over issues such as data security and technological influence. While TikTok has consistently denied accusations of data misuse or ties to the Chinese government, the app has become a flashpoint in broader geopolitical conflicts.

A potential sale to Musk could significantly reshape TikTok’s U.S. operations, aligning them with the vision of an entrepreneur already transforming social media under his leadership. However, TikTok’s outright dismissal of such claims indicates its commitment to maintaining its independence and fighting the ban through legal channels.

As the Supreme Court decision looms, the future of TikTok in the U.S. hangs in the balance, with far-reaching implications for its American user base and the global tech ecosystem.

Social Tech

Why changes to the block on Elon Musk’s X are driving users away

by George Mensah 2024-10-19

Elon Musk’s platform X is preparing to overhaul its block function, breaking away from traditional social media practices. Under the new policy, blocked users will still be able to view the posts of the person who blocked them, as long as the posts are public. However, they will be restricted from liking, reposting, or replying to these posts.

Musk has previously voiced his opinion on the issue, stating, “Blocking public posts makes no sense. It needs to be replaced by a stronger mute function.” Jack Dorsey, former Twitter co-founder and CEO, also supports this approach.

Elon Musk’s X are driving users away

While Musk and Dorsey argue that blocking public posts is redundant—since anyone can access them by simply logging out—others, like Tracy Chou, founder of the anti-harassment tool Block Party, believe the block function provides an essential layer of protection. Chou stated on X, “The friction matters! Making it easier for people to engage in harmful behavior isn’t a good thing.”

In response to the proposed changes, many X users are exploring alternatives, leading to a significant rise in activity on platforms like Bluesky. Over a two-day span, Bluesky saw 1.2 million new users and climbed to the second spot in the U.S. App Store’s Social Networking category, a dramatic jump from its previous ranking of 181.

Though user spikes don’t always translate into sustained engagement, this policy shift could have more lasting effects compared to X’s previous changes, such as its rebranding from Twitter. The adjustment focuses on the rights of blocked users, potentially putting those who rely on blocking for protection at greater risk.

X’s engineering team defended the update, stating, “Currently, block can be used to hide harmful or private information. With this change, users will gain more transparency and visibility into these behaviors.”

As X continues to evolve under Musk’s leadership, these changes may lead to a shift in user behavior, with more people seeking alternatives, potentially reshaping the social media landscape.

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