Meta has disabled a feature in its newly launched AI image-generation tool, Muse Image, following criticism that it automatically used photos from public Instagram accounts as references for creating AI-generated images.

The decision, announced on Friday, came less than a week after Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, introduced Muse Image through its artificial intelligence assistant, Meta AI.

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In a statement, Meta said the feature was intended to provide a creative tool while allowing users to control whether their public content could be referenced. However, the company acknowledged the criticism, saying it had "missed the mark" and confirmed the feature is no longer available.

Like other AI-powered image generators, Muse Image creates images based on user prompts. However, it also automatically allowed photos from public Instagram accounts to be used as reference material, sparking privacy concerns.

The feature prompted widespread criticism on social media, with users sharing instructions on how to prevent their Instagram content from being accessed by the AI tool.

The entertainment industry also voiced concerns. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) urged its members to update their Instagram privacy settings to protect their likenesses.

Following Meta's decision, the union welcomed the move, saying that encouraging the creation of non-consensual digital replicas was inappropriate and that discontinuing the feature was the right step.