Instagram Launches AI Background Editor To Replace Drab Backdrops In A Snap

Video screenshots via Ahmad Al-Dahle / Meta

Instagram is shaking up the photography landscape once again, quite literally, this time by introducing an AI-powered tool that transforms boring backgrounds of photos in Stories.

This new editor, currently available to users in the United States, is sort of a digital magic wand, allowing users to transport their images to imaginative and whimsical settings with just a few taps.

As demonstrated in a Threads video by Meta generative AI lead Ahmad Al-Dahle creating a Story, Instagram users can tap on the new background editor icon on top to access a variety of ready prompts, such as “Being chased by dinosaurs” or “On a red carpet.”

For those seeking a more personalized touch, the option to type in unique prompts like “Surrounded by puppies” or “Under the aurora borealis” adds an extra layer of creativity.

Video screenshots via Ahmad Al-Dahle / Meta

Once a user posts a Story with a new AI-generated background, viewers can see the exact prompt used, along with a ‘Try it’ sticker that encourages them to experiment with the image generation tool themselves. It is social media, after all.

Video screenshots via Ahmad Al-Dahle / Meta

This innovative addition offers a modern twist to Instagram’s array of creative tools, including its recently updated photo filters mimicking the charm of film photography. This dual approach caters to a broad spectrum of users, from those enchanted by nostalgia to others drawn to the allure of cutting-edge technology. All serve to welcome digital expression in exciting ways.

[via TechCrunch and Ahmad Al-Dahle, video screenshots via Ahmad Al-Dahle]