Instagram chief Adam Mosseri says the era of the perfectly curated, highly polished Instagram feed is effectively over, largely because of the rise of artificial intelligence. AI tools now make it easy for anyone to generate flawless images, which has stripped polished visuals of their uniqueness and value. As a result, perfection no longer signals creativity, effort, or authenticity the way it once did.
Mosseri explains that users are increasingly moving away from public, carefully edited posts and instead sharing more casual, raw content—often through private messages, Stories, or informal uploads. When AI can instantly produce studio-quality images, overly refined posts can feel artificial or untrustworthy. Imperfect photos and spontaneous videos, by contrast, are becoming stronger indicators of real human presence.
Looking ahead, Mosseri believes social platforms will need new ways to help users distinguish authentic content from AI-generated material. This could include clearer labeling of AI-created images, improved transparency around who made a post, and technical systems that verify whether media was captured by a real camera. Such measures are increasingly important as synthetic content becomes harder to detect.
The broader shift suggests a cultural change in how people define creativity and trust online. Instead of chasing visual perfection, creators may need to focus on personality, storytelling, and genuine connection—qualities that AI still struggles to replicate convincingly. In this new landscape, authenticity rather than polish is becoming the currency of attention.
