Meta has announced a significant update to its data policy: starting December 16, interactions with its generative AI features, such as the Meta AI chatbot, will be used to personalize the content and advertisements users see across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The company states that conversations with the AI—whether by text or voice—will become a new input signal, working alongside existing data like your likes and follows, to better tailor recommendations. For example, a user discussing hiking gear or an upcoming vacation with Meta AI might subsequently be shown ads for boots, suggested hiking groups, or related travel Reels on their feed. This move is part of Meta’s larger strategy to monetize its growing investment in AI.
Meta will begin notifying users of this change on October 7. A key detail drawing attention is that users will not have an option to opt out of this data usage, other than avoiding the Meta AI features entirely. The company has clarified, however, that it will not use conversations about sensitive topics like health, religion, or political views for ad targeting. The initial rollout will apply to most regions, with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and South Korea being excluded at launch due to stricter regulatory considerations.