Meta turns Facebook profiles into AI experiments, whether you asked or not

Meta’s AI-first future has arrived at Facebook, and it looks exactly like you would expect: animated profile photos, restyled memories, and more algorithmic creativity dressed up as self-expression.

Sarthak Singh

February 11, 2026 / 13:50 IST

Facebook

Meta adds AI-powered animated profile photos and Restyle tools to Facebook.
Users can now restyle Stories and Memories with Meta AI's visual themes.
AI-generated content is becoming a core pillar of Meta's platform strategy.

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Meta is doubling down on generative AI, and Facebook users are coming along for the ride, willingly or otherwise. The company’s latest update introduces AI-powered animated profile photos, alongside new tools that let users restyle Stories and Memories using Meta AI.

The pitch is familiar. According to Meta, these features are designed to create “share-worthy moments that spark meaningful interactions and conversations with friends”. The execution, however, leans heavily on pre-packaged AI aesthetics. Users can animate their profile pictures using Meta AI, turning static headshots into short, generated animations. Because nothing signals individuality quite like applying the same machine-generated effect to your own face.

Meta AI is also expanding into Facebook Stories and Memories through a feature called Restyle. Users can either select from predefined visual themes or prompt the AI assistant to alter the look and feel of their posts. The result is less about creative control and more about frictionless transformation, with AI doing most of the thinking.

Meta’s own guidance is telling. For “best results”, users are advised to upload a photo with a single person, facing the camera, with a clearly visible face and no distracting objects. In other words, feed the machine clean inputs and it will give you something optimised for engagement. Once animated, these images can be shared to the Feed and displayed on user profiles.

The move fits neatly into Meta’s broader strategy of saturating its platforms with generative AI features. The company has been clear that AI-generated content is not a side project but a core pillar. Earlier this year, Meta said its Vibes feed, a stream of AI-generated content, would eventually spin out into a standalone app. If you feel overwhelmed by algorithmic output now, relief does not appear to be part of the roadmap.