Meta AI Tools Generate Distorted Ads Without Consent

Advertisers are reporting that Meta Platforms Inc. is deploying AI-powered Advantage+ creative tools that generate surreal and incorrect advertisements, occasionally without explicit user consent. Brands including True Classic and Kirruna described instances where AI replaced targeted imagery with unnatural photos, such as replacing a men's clothing brand's imagery with an elderly woman or creating footwear models with physically distorted limbs.

Agency owners and business founders allege the system automatically reenables AI creative settings, such as automatic adjustments and new feature tests, even after users manually disable them. This behavior has led to unplanned budget expenditures on erratic content. In response to these failures, some marketers have launched startups specifically to help advertisers locate and disable these hidden AI settings.

A Meta spokesperson defended the tools, stating that millions of advertisers find value in the features and that users can review generated images before ads run. However, affected marketers claim these review processes are inefficient and often fail to surface problematic images before they go live.