Instagram is changing how it handles accounts built around AI-generated personas, according to Engadget. The app is requiring those profiles to use a new “AI-generated profile” label that identifies the person shown as AI-generated rather than a real human. Engadget reports that accounts featuring AI-generated humans that do not use the label may see their reach reduced. An Instagram spokesperson told the outlet that the company has heard from users who dislike finding a profile that appears human, only to later learn the person featured is AI-generated. The enforcement appears narrower than a broader crackdown on AI-generated posts. Engadget says the new designation is tailored to profiles that “feature an AI-generated person,” based on the in-app description. The report says Instagram is replacing an older optional “AI creator” label, which had functioned more broadly for profiles that regularly posted AI content. That distinction matters. The policy described by Engadget is about account identity and presentation, not a blanket demotion of all AI-generated images, videos, or posts. Instagram is drawing a line around synthetic personas that could be mistaken for human creators. The move follows rising scrutiny of AI-generated influencer accounts. Engadget cites prior reporting from The Guardian on AI-generated influencers promoting apps and brands, and from The New York Times on hundreds of AI “wellness” influencers, including accounts claiming to be doctors. Engadget notes that much of this content may not explicitly violate Meta’s existing rules, but it has raised concerns about misinformation. Instagram is also setting up an appeal path. Engadget reports that creators who believe they were wrongly penalized will be able to appeal through Instagram’s Account Status dashboard. The policy is still partly forward-looking in its enforcement language. Engadget reports that accounts not using the label “may soon” see limits to their reach, so the practical impact will depend on how aggressively Instagram detects AI-persona accounts and applies distribution penalties. Who benefits: Users get clearer signals when a profile is centered on an AI-generated person. Legitimate creators using the label may also avoid being penalized under the new policy. Who's exposed: AI-influencer accounts that present synthetic people as human-like creators face reduced reach if they do not label themselves. Accounts near the boundary may need to monitor Instagram’s Account Status dashboard and appeal if they believe enforcement is wrong.