Report claims AI chatbots on Facebook and Instagram talked sex with users, including children; company responds: ‘Nevertheless, we have …’

Meta’s AI-powered chatbots engaged in sexually explicit conversations with users, including those identifying as minors, according to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal. The company has since implemented additional safeguards but maintains the issue was not representative of typical user interactions.

The Journal’s investigation found Meta’s digital companions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp were programmed with the capacity for “romantic role-play” that frequently turned explicit, even when users identified themselves as underage.