Meta’s AI tools for advertisers now have the capability to generate entirely new images, not just new backgrounds

Meta is unveiling an expanded suite of generative AI tools tailored for advertisers, building upon its initial announcement of AI features last October. Previously limited to generating various backgrounds for product images, advertisers can now request comprehensive image variations. These variations offer AI-driven concepts for the overall photo, including modifications that update the subject or product being advertised.

As an example, Meta demonstrates how an existing ad creative featuring a cup of coffee alongside coffee beans outdoors could be transformed. The cup, captured from a different angle, is now depicted against a backdrop of vibrant greenery and coffee beans, invoking imagery reminiscent of a coffee farm.

Indeed, the expanded generative AI tools introduced by Meta could potentially lead to unethical practices by advertisers seeking to deceive consumers. While the feature offers innovative possibilities for creating visually compelling ads, there is a risk that advertisers may use it to generate images of products that do not exist in reality, thus misleading consumers.

Meta acknowledges this potential misuse, highlighting the risk of advertisers tailoring the generated output with the Text Prompt feature to showcase products in different colors or angles that differ from reality. For instance, advertisers could create variations of a coffee cup with unique swirls of foaming milk, enticing consumers with fictional product attributes.

As such, while the AI tools offer creative opportunities for advertisers, it is essential for Meta to implement safeguards and guidelines to prevent deceptive advertising practices and protect consumers from misleading content.