How AI is Changing Social Media: The Good, the Bad, and What’s Next

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how we use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. Here’s how it’s happening:

1. More AI-Generated Content Everywhere

AI tools are creating tons of content — pictures, videos, and text — on social media. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if what you’re seeing was made by a person or a computer. People are even using AI to spread fake news or advertise events that don’t exist. This has caused some confusion online.

Want to play around, try: DALL·E 3

This app lets you create realistic images from text prompts, showcasing how AI generates creative content.

2. Easier Content Creation for Creators

AI makes it super easy for content creators to produce stuff quickly. For example, there are platforms like Synthesia that can create video avatars (basically, fake people) that talk and look real. This helps creators make videos in different languages and reach more people worldwide. Some creators are even making big money using AI tools like this.

Want to play around, try: Synthesia

Synthesia allows you to create professional AI-powered videos with avatars, making content creation faster and more versatile.

3. AI Helps with Better Ads and Marketing

Social media sites, like TikTok, are using AI to make advertising easier. For example, AI can write scripts for ads or create virtual characters to feature in them. This means brands can make content that feels more personal and connects better with smaller, specific groups of people.

Want to play around, try: Jasper AI

Jasper helps you write ad copy, captions, and marketing scripts tailored to your audience using AI, perfect for marketers and small businesses.

4. Keeping AI Content Honest

Because so much content is created by AI now, people worry about whether it’s truthful. Social media companies are trying to figure out how to tell users if something was made by AI. But it’s tricky—especially during important events like elections, where false information can spread quickly.

Want to play around, try: Deepware Scanner

This app detects AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated content, helping you identify fake or misleading media online.

5. Personalising What You See Online

AI is getting better at figuring out what you like and showing you more of it. Whether it’s ads, videos, or posts, social media platforms use AI to make your experience feel more personal. This keeps you engaged and coming back for more.

Want to play around, try: Pocket

Pocket uses AI to recommend articles, videos, and other content based on your interests, personalising your browsing experience.

6. Making Social Media Safer

AI also helps keep social media a safe space. For example, it looks for harmful posts, such as hate speech or misinformation, and removes them. Platforms like Facebook use AI to do this on a massive scale, helping to protect users.

Want to play around, try: Perspective API

This tool is used to identify harmful or abusive language in comments and posts, promoting safer conversations online.

In ShortAI is changing how we interact with social media in big ways. It’s helping us create, market, and personalise content while also raising some concerns about honesty and safety. As AI gets smarter, its role in social media will keep growing, bringing both good and bad changes to how we connect online.