On the scale of things that matter most in the tech world, filing a patent does not exactly rank that high. Yet, recent news about Meta filing a patent related to a Facebook AI that posts for us after we’re long gone does raise some red flags.
The AI will pretend you are still around and can respond to DMs or comment. As usual, there’s a large language model involved (or LLM) that can scan your posts and eventually learn your voice, then post when you are out for a while…or worse.
“The language model may be used for simulating the user when the user is absent from the social networking system, for example, when the user takes a long break or if the user is deceased,” reads the patent.
While patent filings are routine and a Meta spokesperson did explain to Business Insider that there are no current plans to launch the AI anytime soon, there is a reason someone thought of the idea. The AI race is in full swing and competition is fierce. All it takes is one novel idea to spring ahead of the other AI innovations pouring out at a constant pace. This one seems like a bad idea, though.
What the Facebook AI means for everyday users
I like that word “simulating” in the Meta statement if only for the fact that the patent (and the original idea behind it) was not intended to fool anyone.
The goal was apparently not to make people think you are alive and kicking, still commenting on cookie recipes or football.
Still, the red flag for me is that the idea even persisted this long and led to a patent filing, which was then approved in December. (I reached out to Meta reps for more commentary about the patent but have not heard anything back yet.)
There’s an AI for everything these days. You can create a headshot of yourself, ask Google Gemini to write a song for you, and even make an entire website.
However, some ideas should be left on the cutting room floor. One example: I was game to test an app once called Death Clock AI that can predict how long you will live, based on metrics like your health and daily exercise. It’s not exactly a bad thing to live healthier. I only later realized, at least for me, it’s a bit morbid.
Facebook AI should be used for other things
There are many problems to solve on social media, especially given the perpetuation of AI slop. We’re still debating with each other constantly and struggling to maintain an identity, according to research trends reports, so it seems odd to tackle a problem like what to do after someone has passed away.
I’ve seen accounts go dark after people I know have died, but I can’t see how having that person continue to post would help with the grieving process.
My suggestion is for social media companies to be more proactive about the issue in closing the Facebook account and leaving it at that. There’s no need to somehow benefit from the unfortunate news, all for the sake of AI innovation. What’s needed is closure–and a little decorum.
