Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become integral to our social media experience, shaping the content we see, our interactions, and the advertisements that target us. Ever feel like your phone knows you a little too well? Spooky targeted ads talking about the exact things you were thinking about and a newsfeed full of cat videos you didn't search for? That's the magic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at work on social media. But what exactly is this magic? How does it work? Where did it come from? Despite its omnipresence, many users still find AI to be a mysterious force behind their screens. In this guide, we'll talk about the complexities of AI in layperson's terms, shedding light on its workings and empowering you to take control of your social media journey.

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What is AI, Anyway?

AI isn't a futuristic robot with human-like consciousness; rather, it's a field of computer science dedicated to creating intelligent systems that can learn and perform tasks autonomously. Think of AI as a fancy way of saying "smart software." In the context of social media, these systems manifest as algorithms—sophisticated sets of instructions that process immense amounts of data to tailor your online experience. AI is your helpful (and sometimes slightly creepy) assistant for your online life.

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AI in Action on Social Media

If you open any of the social media apps you use (like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok), I'm willing to bet you'll be greeted with something tailored exactly to you. For instance, if you're a fan of cooking, you might see recipe videos in your feed. That's AI at work, analyzing your likes, shares, and browsing history (yes, even your browsing history) to curate a personalized feed.

If you want to see how AI is tailored to specific people in real-time, grab a friend or family member, open Instagram on their device and yours, and travel to the feed. If you have different personalities and hobbies, you'll see an incredibly different set of posts inside the feed. Your recommended posts and reels might be about cats and DisneyWorld, while your sports-fanatic friend only sees basketball memes and F1 highlights.  

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Empowerment Through Understanding

The good news is that you have the power to shape exactly what social media shows you. Each person has their own specific "algorithm". If you know how to shift the algorithm to show you the results you want to see, your time on social media will be immensely better. By being mindful of your online behavior and diversifying your engagement, you can ensure a well-rounded feed that reflects your interests. Here's some quick tips for configuring the PERFECT algorithm:

Set the Parameters:  
Make sure you mute any words or trends you don't want on your feed. Most social media sites have the option to let you choose the 'don't show me posts like this anymore' option. For instance, if you're tired of seeing political posts, you can choose to hide them. Block accounts you strongly dislike, and if the platform has a thumbs-down button, use it! The same in reverse. If you like content, show your love for it! Like the post, comment, share, etc. The more you engage with specific content, the more you'll see it. This way, you can train the AI algorithm to show you more of what you like and less of what you don't.

‍Check The privacy settings:  
Social Media platforms should have settings that allow you to manage the privacy and data that you share with them. Some even offer you the option to turn off data collection altogether. While this can be fantastic for users wanting ultimate privacy, the bottom line is that most people will want to search and scroll through their feeds without many restrictions. Check each platform's settings to ensure the privacy settings match exactly how you want them to be.

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Looking Ahead

AI is a tool, neither inherently good nor bad. Its impact depends on how it's used. Like all other systems, AI can get things wrong. For example, they might inadvertently promote misinformation or create echo chambers. As technology evolves, so will AI's role in social media. Demystifying AI for social media users is about more than mastering complex algorithms; it is about understanding the basics and leveraging that knowledge to enrich your online experience while being aware of the potential risks and ethical concerns.