Only one week into 2025, and it’s already pretty clear that AI is set to dominate our feeds this year. TikTok has added a handful of new AI features and Instagram is teasing a pretty big AI development.
Meanwhile, fans on TikTok are enjoying one particular song from the new Mufasa movie, while a trending sound has us kicking off the year checking in with our self-awareness. Read on for all the social news you missed over the holidays.
TikTok introduces a host of AI features
Image credit: TikTok
TikTok continues to expand its AI features with a range of new tools. These include the “AI Group Shot” tool, which allows you to edit yourself and your friends in image templates. The “AI Self” tool makes it easier to edit your appearance, while an upcoming feature will let you transform your images into trending memes. Plus, TikTok is enhancing its AI-based suggestions for video captions.
Meta has removed all 28 of its AI characters created in 2023. The characters were rediscovered by users following an interview with Meta’s VP of product for generative AI, Connor Hayes. As users started looking back at the existing AI characters, discussions began over the controversial depiction of marginalized groups. Meta commented: “[The accounts] were managed by humans and were part of an early experiment we did with AI characters. We identified the bug that was impacting the ability for people to block those AIs and are removing those accounts to fix the issue.”
Instagram is teasing its new generative AI feature that will allow you to use text prompts to “change nearly any aspect” of your videos. Powered by Meta’s Movie Gen AI model, the feature is set to launch sometime this year. Instagram head Adam Mosseri demonstrated the new feature by changing his outfit, altering the video background and even transforming himself into a felt puppet.
X rival Bluesky is adding a trending topics section on both its desktop and mobile app. While the feature is available globally, the topics are currently limited to English. And, any words or phrases you’ve previously muted will automatically be excluded from your trending topics list.
Threads is testing the much-anticipated custom display names feature. Instead of replicating your Instagram handle, users will soon have the option to choose an alternative name for their Threads profile. Display names can be changed once a week, and any updates will apply only to Threads.
