The Bot-pocalypse: Meta's AI Gamble and What It Means for Your Business

As social media platforms embrace AI-generated accounts, smart businesses are returning to authentic customer connections

What do you do when your platform's engagement & new users dip? Welcome AI bots with open arms. At least, that is Meta's new plan - fill Facebook & Instagram with AI bots that act like humans - as reported by Kyle Orland in Ars Technica.

The same platforms that promised to reduce bots just a year ago are now the biggest champions of AI personalities. We're watching platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter decay in real time.

And, as always, I have to think about what this could mean for small businesses:

1) Does your ad spend now reach fake accounts?

2) Do engagement metrics mean anything?

3) Are your customers overwhelmed by bot posts and not even seeing your content?

4) Is the algorithm favoring AI-generated content?

Don't get me wrong - AI can have real benefits for small businesses. Tools that help with customer service, content scheduling, and data analysis can level the playing field against bigger competitors.

But there's a big difference between using AI tools to serve your customers better and putting your brand in the hands of platforms creating fake engagement with AI bots. And if Meta is amplifying the use of bots - how long before the AI slop makes your customer's feed impossible to navigate?

Smart businesses have already begun shifting focus to tried and true marketing methods. You'd be smart to invest in these:

1) Building email lists

2) Creating in-store events

3) Developing helpful content (think how-to blogs & videos) rather than chasing algorithms

You'd also be smart to skate where the puck is going. Bluesky Social's transparent & highly customizable platform is bringing a fresh wave of positive energy & engagement to social media. My best clickthrough and engagement rates on ANY platform is now on #Bluesky.

I won't be surprised to see many brands finally ditching Twitter as it continues to flail.

Along with that, web 1.0 style blogs & forums are increasing in popularity. There's a reason many people have gotten wise to searching -reddit in Google and Bing.

Search engines are evolving too. With subscription based engines like Kagi, you get an ad-free search environment without data harvesting for just $10/month. And the results are GOOD - like 2014 Google good.

I estimate that switching to Kagi.com has saved me 2 hours of time per month - what's that 2 hours worth to your business? The results are better and the engine does a pretty good job of ignoring SEO-farm content. Even if you stripped away the ad bloat on Google - Kagi's results are simply better.

There's a battle for the future of the internet being played out right now - and whether you like it or not, your business is on the playing field. Businesses embracing authenticity are going to succeed through the real connections they're building with people.

Because Meta's AI bots can't buy your company's product.

Read Chris Westfall in Forbes | https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2025/01/02/meta-opens-floodgates-on-ai-generated-accounts-on-facebook-instagram