What happened to AI characters on Instagram
Meta launched AI Studio in July 2024. It let anyone build an AI character by visiting ai.meta.com/ai-studio or by starting a new message on Instagram and tapping "AI chats," and people could then chat with those characters on Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and the web (Meta).
That has wound down. In an update dated August 10, 2026, Meta said "people will no longer be able to create new AI characters or edit existing ones," while existing characters and chats remain active (Meta). Teens lost access earlier: in January 2026 Meta paused teens' access to existing AI characters worldwide, including accounts its age-prediction technology suspects belong to teens (Meta).
So searches like "how to make an AI girlfriend on Instagram" now have a short answer: you cannot build a new one there. AI Studio characters were never built for 18+ chat in any case.
AI influencer accounts and the apps behind them
The AI girlfriends that fill Instagram feeds today are mostly generated models run as influencer accounts. Many exist to send followers to a chat app, and a few apps build that link in openly:
- Kupid AI lists Instagram and TikTok accounts on some character profiles, so the character you follow is the one you chat with.
- Joi AI lets real creators publish licensed AI versions of themselves, called Digital Duplicates.
- Swipey AI runs Verified Creator Models, real creators with AI personas and paid Fan Clubs.
- SweetDream AI pays AI influencers half the revenue from buyers they refer.
That last point is worth knowing: an AI influencer praising an app may be paid per sign-up. Judge the app on its own pricing and terms, not the account that sent you there. Our realistic AI girlfriend ranking covers the apps with the most lifelike pictures.
Official Instagram accounts of AI girlfriend apps
Look-alike accounts copy app names and pictures. These are the Instagram accounts each app links from its own homepage, checked September 29, 2026:
Instagram accounts linked from AI girlfriend app homepages
| App |
Instagram handle |
Other official channels linked |
| Secrets AI |
@getsecrets |
Discord |
| Candy AI |
@trycandyai |
TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, Discord |
| HeyGF |
@heygf.ai |
X |
| SweetDream AI |
@sweet_dream_ai |
TikTok, X, Reddit, Discord |
| Kupid AI |
@kupid.ai |
X, Discord, Telegram, character accounts |
| DreamGF |
@dreamgf_ai |
X, Facebook, Reddit, Discord |
| Joi AI |
@joi.ai.lationships |
X, Reddit, Discord |
| Swipey AI |
@SwipeyAI |
X, Discord |
OurDream, FantasyGF, GoLove AI and Replika also link Instagram accounts. If an account is not linked from the app's own site, treat it as unofficial.
DMs and ads from "AI girlfriends": what to ignore
Two things reach you on Instagram without asking. The first is DMs from accounts posing as AI girlfriends or as the people behind them. Kaspersky warns that scam bots in online dating can "run many conversations at once" (Kaspersky), and a DM that moves quickly to a payment link, a gift card or a request for your photos is the classic pattern. Do not pay through links sent in DMs; the real apps take payment on their own sites.
The second is ads. AI girlfriend apps advertise heavily, and Instagram's ad settings let you hide ads and adjust ad topics. Our guide on how to stop AI girlfriend ads has the steps, and AI girlfriend scams lists the common tricks.
Keeping Instagram and your AI girlfriend apart
Instagram is public by design. Who you follow can be seen by people who view your profile, likes show on posts, and a comment on an AI influencer's post appears under your name. If you want to follow AI characters, a separate account keeps them off your main profile.
When you sign up for an app, use an email address rather than a social login, ideally a different one from the address on your Instagram account. That keeps the app, its receipts and its emails fully apart from your social life.
Which app to pick
- Best overall: Secrets AI. Read the Secrets AI review.
- Follow a character, then chat: Kupid AI. See the Kupid AI review.
- AI versions of real creators: Joi AI or Swipey AI.
- Selfie-style photos in chat: HeyGF.
- Best value: Candy AI at $3.99 a month on a yearly plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get an AI girlfriend on Instagram?
Not a new one. Meta stopped the creation of new AI Studio characters on August 10, 2026, though existing characters and chats still work. AI girlfriend accounts on Instagram today mostly promote chat apps, where the actual chatting happens.
How do I make an AI girlfriend on Instagram?
You no longer can: AI Studio, the tool that let you build a character from Instagram's AI chats, stopped taking new characters in August 2026. To design your own companion, use an app with a character builder, such as Candy AI or DreamGF.
Are AI girlfriend accounts on Instagram real people?
Some are AI-generated models run by people, some promote a specific app, and a few are real creators who license AI versions of themselves through apps like Joi AI and Swipey AI. The account holder is always a person or company, even when the face is AI.
Why do I keep seeing AI girlfriend ads on Instagram?
AI girlfriend apps spend heavily on social ads, and Instagram targets them by interest and activity. You can hide individual ads and adjust ad topics in Instagram's settings; our guide on stopping AI girlfriend ads has the steps.
Is it safe to click an AI girlfriend link from Instagram?
Only if it leads to the app's official site. Check the address against the links on this page, never enter card details on a page reached through a DM, and be wary of any account that asks for your photos.
Which AI girlfriend apps have official Instagram accounts?
Secrets AI, Candy AI, HeyGF, SweetDream AI, Kupid AI, DreamGF, Joi AI and Swipey AI link Instagram accounts from their homepages, as do OurDream, FantasyGF, GoLove AI and Replika.
