Today we’re going to talk about something that’s been frustrating a lot of Facebook users recently – that new Meta AI integration that keeps popping up everywhere.
You know the one – that colorful circle logo that seems to have taken over your search bar, suggesting you “Ask Meta AI anything”? Or those AI-generated cards inserted right into your news feed, encouraging you to interact with their language model?
I get it, generative AI is really cool tech. But a lot of folks just want to use Facebook the way they’re used to, without having an AI assistant forced on them every time they open the app.
Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is, there’s no straightforward setting to disable Meta AI across Facebook at the moment. The good news? There are still some workarounds to minimize its presence. Let’s dig in.
What is Meta AI ?
Before we get to turning it off, let’s quickly cover what this Meta AI thing even is. Put simply, it’s a large language model created by Meta (the company formerly known as Facebook). Basically a super advanced AI that can understand natural language, answer questions, analyze data, and even generate images or content from text prompts.
Meta first launched their AI assistant last September, but the recent app integration is part of the rollout for their latest and most powerful model yet – Llama 3.
By embedding Llama 3 directly into apps like Facebook and Instagram, Meta wants to make AI assistance feel like a core part of the user experience. Click the search bar? Boom, there’s a prompt to “Ask Meta AI.” Scroll your feed? AI-generated cards try to engage you.
It’s clear Meta sees a big future in consumer AI, but a lot of users just aren’t feeling that level of AI integration yet.
How To Turn Off Meta AI On Facebook?
Okay, so you’re one of those who would rather keep Facebook focused on, y’know, actual content from your friends and family instead of an AI assistant constantly butting in. Here’s what you can do:
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to turn off or minimize Meta AI on Facebook:
Step 1: Block the Meta AI Account
The first step is to block the official Meta AI account on Facebook. Here’s how:
- Open the Facebook app and go to the Meta AI page (facebook.com/metaai)
- Tap the three dot menu next to the Message button
- Select “Block” from the options
- Confirm that you want to block Meta AI
Blocking this account prevents it from sending you suggestions, notifications or other content related to Meta AI.
Step 2: Uninstall and Reinstall Facebook App
Next, you’ll want to completely uninstall and then reinstall the Facebook app to clear any cached data or settings related to Meta AI.
- Go to your mobile device’s app manager/settings
- Find the Facebook app and select “Uninstall”
- Once uninstalled, restart your device
- Go to the app store and download/reinstall the Facebook app
After reinstalling, log into your Facebook account again. Many users report that this process removes or minimizes Meta AI integration.
Step 3: Ignore AI Suggestions in Search
When using Facebook search, you may still see some AI-powered suggestions marked with the Meta AI logo. Don’t click on these!
- Use the search bar as normal to find friends, groups, pages etc.
- Any results with the Meta AI logo are AI-generated suggestions
- Only click on the regular results without the AI logo
Consistently ignoring the AI suggestions can train Facebook’s algorithms to stop showing them to you over time.
Step 4: Remove Individual AI Cards from Feed
If AI-generated content cards show up in your Facebook feed, you can remove them one-by-one:
- When an AI card appears, long-press on it
- Select the “Remove” option from the menu
- You can also rate it as “Not Relevant”
Doing this repeatedly for AI cards signals to Facebook that you don’t want this type of content.
Step 5: Have Group Admins Disable for Groups
If you’re part of any Facebook Groups, ask the admins to disable Meta AI integration:
- Admins go to Group Settings > Add Features
- Find “Meta AI” under Monetization Tools
- Toggle “Meta AI” to the off position
This prevents AI content from being injected into the group.
Step 6: Give Feedback to Request Disable Option
The best long-term solution is to request an official “Disable AI” option from Meta themselves:
- Go to Facebook Menu > Help & Support > Report a Problem
- Explain that you want to disable AI integration across Facebook
- Be polite but firmly state your preference for an AI-free experience
The more feedback they receive, the more likely they are to add a disable toggle in the future.
By following these steps, you can significantly cut down on unsolicited Meta AI appearances on Facebook for now. Remember to be patient and persistent in giving feedback to hopefully get a proper disable option soon.
Provide Feedback to Meta
None of those options are a real permanent solution, I know. Ideally, Meta would just give us the option to disable AI assistants across their apps for those who’d prefer a traditional, AI-free experience.
The best thing you can do is consistently provide feedback to Meta expressing your disinterest in having AI embedded across their apps and websites. The more they hear users asking for an “disable AI” toggle, the more likely they eventually are to give us one.
On Facebook itself, you can submit feedback by going to the Menu > Help & Support > Report a Problem. For Instagram, it’s Settings > Help > Report a Problem. Politely but firmly make your voice heard that you want the ability to use Meta’s services without AI integration.
Embrace the AI…Or Not?
Look, I get it – AI is an incredibly powerful technology that’s going to keep becoming more and more integrated into our apps and online experiences whether we like it or not. For many of us, having an AI assistant on tap to answer questions or handle creative tasks will be a stellar productivity boost.
But not everyone wants to feel bombarded by AI at every turn, especially when we’re just trying to casually browse social media. Folks should be able to choose whether they want AI involvement or not, rather than having it forced upon them.
For now, Meta isn’t giving us a true opt-out for their new AI assistant, frustrating as that may be. But by taking the steps above, you can at least minimize how much it gets in your face while we cross our fingers they add a disable toggle sometime soon.
What’s your take – are you into AI assistants being built right into apps, or would you rather keep AI as more of an optional tool? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!