Meta plans to automate up to 90% of product risk assessments for updates to apps like Instagram and WhatsApp using an AI-powered system. This shift follows a 2012 agreement with the Federal Trade Commission requiring privacy reviews of product updates, previously conducted mainly by human evaluators.
New AI-Driven Process
Product teams will complete a questionnaire about their updates, after which the AI system will provide an instant decision highlighting potential risks and specifying requirements for launching the update or feature. This automation aims to accelerate product updates.
Concerns and Risks
A former Meta executive warned that this AI-centric approach could increase risks, as negative externalities of product changes might be less likely to be caught before causing real-world problems.
Meta's Position
Meta stated it has invested over $8 billion in its privacy program and is committed to balancing innovation with regulatory compliance. The company emphasized that while AI will handle low-risk decisions to improve consistency and speed, human expertise will remain involved for complex or novel issues to ensure thorough oversight.
