Instagram’s new AI-powered editing tool lets users customize backgrounds

Instagram has rolled out its innovative AI-driven background editing feature for users in the United States. Ahmad Al-Dahle, Meta's head of generative AI, announced on Threads that this tool enables users to alter the background of their images by using prompts within Stories.

Upon selecting the background editor icon on an image, users will receive pre-set prompts such as "On a red carpet," "Being chased by dinosaurs," and "Surrounded by puppies." Alternatively, users can create their own prompts to customize the background.

After sharing a Story with the newly generated background, viewers will encounter a "Try it" sticker with the prompt, allowing them to also experiment with the image generation tool.

Earlier in the month, Meta extended its 28 AI-powered characters to all its U.S.-based apps—WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. This expansion included support for Bing search and an improved context window. Simultaneously, the company introduced a standalone AI image generator named Imagine with Meta, utilizing its proprietary Emu model.