On Saturday, Instagram users worldwide were left baffled by a strange glitch that renamed every contact in their friend lists to “AI,” causing widespread confusion and disrupting basic app functionality. The issue, which surfaced prominently on Reddit, made it nearly impossible for users to distinguish between their contacts, as every name was replaced with the uniform “AI” label, despite profile pictures remaining unchanged.

The glitch severely hampered core features like messaging and video sharing. One Reddit user, “9yearold911,” posted a screenshot of the issue, venting, “My entire friend list is just ‘AI’ now. I can’t find anyone!” Others echoed the frustration, with some users resorting to copying and pasting video links manually to share content. “It’s like we’re back in the dial-up era,” one commenter quipped.

Compounding the confusion, some users reported seeing a message on their home screens stating, “AI chats are not yet available to everyone.” This fueled speculation that the glitch might be linked to Meta, Instagram’s parent company, testing or rolling out new AI-driven features. However, Meta has yet to confirm whether the issue stemmed from an internal test, a botched update, or an unintended AI feature deployment.

As of Saturday evening, Meta had not released an official statement addressing the glitch or provided a timeline for resolution. The lack of communication has heightened user frustration, with many taking to social media to demand clarity.

This incident follows previous backlash over Meta’s AI integration. In June, several Instagram users reported being unfairly banned for supposedly using automation tools, despite complying with platform rules. These incidents have spotlighted concerns about Meta’s reliance on AI for moderation, often criticized for lacking transparency and human oversight.

Tech experts warn that such glitches highlight the pitfalls of hastily integrating AI into widely used platforms. “When AI tools are deployed without clear user communication, glitches like this erode trust,” said Priya Patel, a tech policy analyst in San Francisco. “Users deserve better transparency about what’s being tested and how it affects them.”

Digital rights groups are now calling on Meta to improve testing protocols for AI features and to communicate changes more effectively. Meanwhile, while some users report restored functionality, others continue to grapple with glitched contact lists, leaving the Instagram experience disrupted for many.