Amazon, Reddit and Tinder might not seem to have a huge amount in common, but all three are jumping on AI trend that many users find unfathomable. They've been pushing AI imagery on users without being asked for it.
This week, the dating Tinder app said it had suspended a controversial experimental feature that used AI to automatically edit some users' profile photos. Meanwhile, sellers on Amazon and advertisers on Reddit complain of automatically generated fake product images.
It seems that whether you're trying to sell groceries, video games or yourself, these three very different tech companies think their fake imagery will help you do it. But with consumers so wary of AI, why are they pushing it into use cases where it doesn't belong?
In Tinder's case, the latest controversy involved a ‘Photo Enhance’ feature. Some users found that the app automatically edited their profile photos to make them look clearer, brighter, or even to change their own physical features.
In the TikTok above, Tinder user Jeni Rubin describes her confusion when she saw her profile picture had been given "someone else's teeth". It's like posting a Photo to social media and the platform automatically applying one of those controversial glamour filters . On an app whose whole purpose is to help people meet up with strangers, it felt a bit like they wanted to take catfishing in house.
Users were told their photo had been "enhanced" and they could undo the action if they wanted, but only after the photos were already live. They weren't asked if they wanted to use the feature in the first place, and there appeared to be no way to opt out.
Bought reddit ads for the first time, to farm wishlistts. Submitted some gameplay screenshots for the ads. Learned reddit use the images I upload to AI-generate a bunch of fake screenshots.from r/IndieDev
Tinder's not the only app that's been pushing unexpected AI image generation on users. One of the first examples that made headlines was Uber Eats way back in 2023 when it started adding fake images of business's menu items. It was so bad that a New York pizzeria's margheritas were depicted as pastry tarts.
That hasn't put tech companies off. Over on Reddit this week (above), an indie game developer was surprised by their experience when they decided to pay for adverts for the first time. Reddit used their gameplay images to generate fake screenshots.
Adding the fake images to ads is optional, but the developer wonders why Reddit would generate them in the first place and whether some users might accept them unintentionally. Could some of those games people are dismissing as AI slop actually be decent titles whose marketing has been scuppered by Reddit's ad platform?
"I didn't prompt these. Reddit just generates a bunch of images for you without asking. I don't know how Reddit thought this would provide value to advertisers," the developer writes.
"As far as I can tell, they don't seem to be automatically added to the media list the ad uses, but it still feeds your promotional artwork into the AI without your clear consent," they add. "Then when going through ads setup pressing 'ok' on everything, [you're] one accidental 'add all' misclick away from being used in your official ad campaign."
On Wednesday, Amazon announced a new feature that will display AI-generated images of products based on users’ search queries. The idea is that fake photos will help consumers find what they’re looking for by helping to narrow down searches to real products that might resemble them.
I can see an argument for that. You might be looking for something made from a certain material and not know what it's called, for example. But the feature could also add more confusion to a marketplace where it's becoming harder to tell what's real. Some Amazon sellers complain of AI-generated images being automatically added to their product listings.
"Am I able to opt out? I don’t like the pictures they generated, and they don’t even show the right appearance of my products. It may cause the confusion," one person writing on Reddit fears.
They're right to be concerned. Various online marketplaces are being taken over by AI-generated images. For some listings, fantasy AI 'lifestyle images' might be the only images provided. They might draw attention and increase initial click through, but are people going to buy a product if they can't see what it really looks like? If they do, isn't there more chance of negative reviews and returns?
Why companies are doing it
It's common for tech companies to make new features opt out. Opt-in features tend to fail when they're things that nobody asked for. But are these AI features intended to create value for the user or for the platforms themselves?
The precise reasons for the implementations might vary among platforms, but reducing user churn and disillusionment is probably one of the main objectives. People stop using Tinder and won't buy a subscription if they get few matches. Blurry or poorly lit photos make that more likely, so by editing images, Tinder hopes people get more response and stay hooked on the app for longer.
On platforms like Reddit, AI-generated images make it easier for small businesses and everyday users with limited resources to create ads and spend money on the platform. Repeating the same images can lead to ad fatigue, causing users to scroll past, while AI-generated variations allow for more A/B rotation to see which gets the more clicks. More clicks mean more money for Reddit if you're on Cost-Per-Click payment.
Amazon also sells per click advertising, but it also sells AI image generation as a product for advertisers. Even if it gives products the feel of dodgy knockoffs, the company has an interest in normalising use of the technology.
In every case, there could be benefits for the user too if they get more visualisations from prospective customers (or matches). The risk for the tech platforms is the continued negative public sentiment regarding AI, which probably isn't being helped by companies pushing unrequested features that also drive up the cost of hardware.
