The Death of Perfect: What Instagram's Shift Means for the Creator Economy
Adam Mosseri is bracing for change. As the head of Instagram, he’s steering the platform through what might be its biggest shake-up yet: the moment when authenticity becomes something anyone can replicate endlessly.
This is a paradox that strikes at the core of the creator economy. The very things that made creators stand out—their realness, their unique voices, their genuine connections—are now becoming accessible to anyone equipped with the right technology. With deepfakes improving rapidly and AI generating photos and videos that are indistinguishable from the real deal, the solid ground that built the creator economy is suddenly feeling a bit like quicksand.
The Old Promise Is Breaking
Let’s rewind a bit to why creators became such a powerhouse over the past decade. The internet shifted the power from big institutions to individuals, allowing anyone with a compelling idea to find an audience. The cost to share information became virtually nothing. It wasn’t big brands or publishers who drove this change—it was individuals, real people, who showed there was a huge appetite for authentic content.
This all happened as trust in traditional institutions began to wane. We started believing more in what came from creators we trusted—those shaky iPhone videos, raw opinions, and behind-the-scenes shots became more valued than the slick productions of pro studios. But here’s the hard question: if AI can flawlessly mimic that authenticity, what happens to its value?
The Instagram You Remember Is Already Dead
If you’re over 25, you might still picture Instagram as a stream of square photos—polished selfies, filtered landscapes, and all that. But let’s face it, that version of Instagram has moved on. People stopped posting those personal, curated moments a while ago.
Today’s Instagram is alive in DMs—filled with blurry photos and candid videos capturing everyday life. Quick snapshots of shoes on the go, unflattering candids shared with close friends. This raw, real vibe has spilled over into public content, and platforms like TikTok and BeReal are built on it.
Interestingly, camera companies seem to be missing the point. They’re still in a race to make everyone look like a pro photographer from 2015—sharper images, better dynamic range. But in a world where AI can create flawless images at the drop of a hat, the professional look has become a sign that screams “this might not be real.”
The New Scarcity
Mosseri sees that authenticity isn’t losing its value—it’s becoming rarer, and as a result, it’s driving more demand for genuine creator content.
The game is changing. It’s no longer just about being able to create; it’s about creating something only you can. This shift is Instagram’s big challenge: can it adapt quickly enough? Can it develop tools that reward true human creativity over AI-generated perfection? Can it help users tell the difference between reality and AI-crafted illusions?
The answers to these questions will decide if Instagram stays relevant or ends up as another platform that couldn’t keep up with the pace of change.
What This Means for Creators
For anyone in the creator economy, this shift has some serious implications:
Embrace your quirks. The things that make you different—your unique speaking style, your imperfect lighting—could be your biggest strengths.
Personality trumps polish. It’s not about matching AI's technical prowess; it’s about offering something only you can—your unique perspective, your personal process.
The shift to private DMs isn’t a glitch; it’s where the future is heading. The most valuable content is increasingly what we share with trusted people in spaces where authenticity is rooted in relationships and context.
The Uncomfortable Question
Here’s the niggling thought that keeps me up at night: if authenticity is reproducible by anyone, and if the only way forward is to create something uniquely yours, what happens to the vast majority of creators who aren’t doing something truly one-of-a-kind?
The creator economy has long promised that anyone can build an audience if they’re consistent, authentic, and willing to show up. But if the bar moves to “create something that only you could create,” that’s a much tougher challenge. It’s more like “be an artist” than just “be a content creator.”
This could mean a maturing of the creator economy, with fewer creators but each offering something genuinely irreplaceable. Or, we might be heading towards a world where audiences stop caring about the human touch, where AI-created influencers gain massive followings, and the concept of authenticity that built this economy becomes quaint and outdated.
Mosseri is betting on the first scenario. Instagram’s future depends on it. But the tech world isn’t waiting around for anyone to figure it out.
The feed is dead. Here’s to what comes next.
