Instagram users worldwide were left scratching their heads on Saturday after a bizarre technical glitch caused all their contacts to appear under the generic label “AI.” This unusual issue, which made it impossible for users to distinguish between their actual friends, sparked widespread frustration and fueled speculation about the platform’s artificial intelligence features.
The problem, first widely reported on Reddit, showed every contact marked with the same “AI” tag, despite profile pictures remaining intact. This uniform naming made basic functions like sending videos or messages difficult for many. One Reddit user, “9yearold911,” shared a screenshot, writing, “I can’t find any of my friends. They’re all just called AI. This is ridiculous.” Other users echoed similar complaints, with some even resorting to manually copying and pasting video links to share content, calling it “like going back to the Stone Age.”
Adding to the confusion, some users also saw an in-app message on their home screens stating, “AI chats are not yet available to everyone.” This led many to speculate that Instagram’s parent company, Meta, might be in the process of rolling out broader AI features, potentially causing this inadvertent glitch.
As of Saturday morning, Meta had not issued a formal statement explaining the incident or providing a timeline for a fix. The company has remained silent on whether the bug was a result of internal testing, a system update, or an accidental rollout of new AI-based functionalities.
This isn’t the first time AI features have drawn criticism from Instagram’s user base. In June, several users reported being wrongfully banned for allegedly using automation tools, despite adhering to the platform’s guidelines. That incident reignited concerns about the deployment of AI moderation tools, often without transparency or human oversight.
Tech analysts suggest this latest glitch highlights the risks associated with rapidly integrating AI into mainstream platforms. “There’s a growing trust deficit when companies roll out AI tools without proper communication,” said Ethan Zhao, a software engineer based in Palo Alto. “When those systems malfunction, users feel blindsided and helpless.”
The recent misstep has prompted renewed calls from digital rights advocates for Meta to ensure that new AI features are tested more thoroughly and communicated more clearly to the public. Meanwhile, users continue to report sporadic issues on the app, with some regaining normal functionality while others’ contact lists remain glitched.
