Meta’s AI Ad Labels. What Affiliates Need to Know

Generative AI has become a standard tool in digital marketing. Teams use it to create ad images, replace backgrounds, translate creatives, adapt videos, and quickly produce dozens of ad variations for testing.

However, as AI tools continue to evolve, platforms are introducing stricter transparency requirements. Meta is expanding AI ad labeling across Facebook and Instagram. The company announced this update in June 2026.

The key change is the introduction of a unified About this ad section. It allows users to view information about the use of generative AI, the advertiser, and the party that paid for or benefits from the advertising campaign.

For affiliates, advertisers, agencies, and creators, this means that the use of AI in the creative production process must become more transparent and better documented.

What Is Changing With Meta’s AI Ad Labels

Previously, Meta primarily labeled advertisements that were created or significantly edited using the company’s own generative AI tools.

Now, the platform is expanding this approach. Meta plans to identify not only ads produced with its native AI features but also certain advertising creatives created using third-party AI tools. To do this, the company will rely on industry-standard technical signals embedded in images or videos.

When these signals are detected, an AI info label will appear in the About this ad section. It will inform users that the advertisement was created or edited with the help of generative AI.

What Is About This Ad?

About this ad is Meta’s new centralized transparency section that provides users with additional information about an advertisement. It can be accessed through the three-dot menu next to an ad on Facebook or Instagram. This section is designed to bring together various types of advertising transparency information in one place, including:

• AI info labels;
• advertiser information;
• details about the party that paid for the advertisement;
• information about the individual or organization benefiting from the campaign;
• Paid for by disclosures for social, political, and election-related advertising.

Some elements and the way this information is displayed may vary depending on the user’s region and local regulations.

Source: Facebook Business Help Center

As a result, Meta is creating a single transparency hub where users can understand not only why they are seeing a particular advertisement, but also who is behind the campaign and whether generative AI was used to create the ad creative.

Which Ads May Receive Meta’s AI Ad Labels?

Whether an advertisement receives an AI info label depends on how significantly generative AI contributed to the final creative. According to Meta, the label may be applied when AI is used to create or substantially modify an image or video.

An AI info label may appear if generative AI has been used to:

• create an entire advertising image;
• generate a new background;
• add or remove significant objects;
• substantially alter a person’s appearance;
• generate a realistic human character;
• significantly transform the original video;
• create a new scene from a text prompt.

At the same time, not every use of AI will automatically result in an AI info label. Minor edits that do not significantly affect the meaning or content of an image or video may remain unlabeled. Examples include basic color correction, minor image enhancement, or technical upscaling.

Ultimately, the decision will depend on the AI tool used, the nature of the edits, and the technical signals that Meta’s systems are able to detect.

Where will users see the label?

In most cases, information about the use of AI will be available in the About this ad section. However, Meta has introduced a separate approach for advertisements featuring photorealistic AI-generated people. If an ad contains a realistic AI-generated person, the AI info label may appear directly next to the Sponsored tag. This means users will be able to see the label before opening the additional menu. If AI was used for other significant modifications, the information may instead be available within the About this ad section, accessible through the three-dot menu.

Why Meta’s AI Ad Labels Matters for Affiliate Marketing

In affiliate marketing, ad creatives are constantly tested and optimized. A single original banner can be transformed into dozens of variations for different audiences, placements, and regions. Generative AI has made this process much faster, allowing affiliates to:

• localize advertising materials;
• translate text;
• adapt creatives for Stories, Reels, or Feed placements;
• generate new layouts and compositions;
• create multiple variations for A/B testing;
• add AI-generated voiceovers or subtitles;
• produce similar video creatives.

Using AI for these purposes is not a violation in itself. The challenge arises when advertisers are unaware of how their approved creatives have been modified by affiliates.

For example, an affiliate may receive an approved product image from an advertiser but use AI to replace the background, add a person, or generate new product features. While the updated creative may appear more visually appealing, it could also include information that is not reflected on the landing page, or worse, claims that are inaccurate or misleading.

For this reason, Meta’s AI ad labeling is about more than simply displaying a technical label. It is closely tied to creative quality control, compliance with the advertiser’s affiliate program, and maintaining trust between advertisers and affiliates.

That is why it is essential to carefully review the terms and conditions of every affiliate program before modifying advertising materials with AI. Doing so can help you avoid compliance issues and potential conflicts with advertisers.

Will the AI info Label Affect Ad Performance?

Meta has not stated that the presence of an AI info label will automatically reduce an ad’s reach or negatively impact campaign performance. The label is primarily intended to provide transparency by informing users that an image or video was created or significantly edited using generative AI.

That said, audience response may still depend on the quality of the creative itself. If AI-generated visuals appear unnatural or create unrealistic expectations, they may reduce users’ trust in the advertisement, which can ultimately affect click quality and overall campaign performance. In some cases, users may even choose to report such ads.

For affiliates, the key consideration is not whether an ad will receive an AI info label, but whether the creative remains clear, accurate, and consistent with the product or offer being promoted. Generative AI is a powerful tool, but it should be used responsibly rather than excessively.

Can Meta Detect Every AI-Generated Creative?

The short answer is no but let’s take a closer look. Meta says it can identify some content created or edited with third-party AI tools. Detection depends on the presence of technical signals embedded in the exported image or video file and whether those signals are supported by the AI tool used.

This means AI detection will not be 100% accurate. Some AI-generated or AI-edited content may not receive an AI info label, even if generative AI was involved in its creation.

However, the absence of an automatic label does not mean affiliates can ignore an advertiser’s guidelines or applicable regulations. Responsibility for ensuring that advertising materials are accurate and compliant remains with the advertiser and the affiliate.

AI info does not replace affiliate disclosure

The AI info label explains how an advertisement was created or edited. An affiliate or commercial disclosure explains the relationship between the content creator and the advertiser.

For example, you may create a video using generative AI and include an affiliate link in the post. In that case, the content may require both an AI info label and an appropriate affiliate or sponsored disclosure. One does not replace the other.

Transparency Is Becoming Part of AI Advertising

Generative AI will continue to reshape digital marketing. It already enables marketers to produce more creatives, localize campaigns faster, and test new approaches more efficiently.

At the same time, greater AI adoption brings greater expectations for transparency.

Meta’s AI ad labeling does not prohibit the use of generative AI. Instead, it makes AI usage more visible to users and introduces new transparency requirements for advertising teams.

For affiliates, the priority should not be avoiding the AI info label. Instead, the focus should be on creating high-quality advertising that accurately represents the affiliate program, does not mislead the audience, and complies with the advertiser’s guidelines.

Advertisers, in turn, should establish clear policies for the use of AI-generated creatives and communicate those requirements to their affiliate partners in advance.

At SalesDoubler, affiliates can promote affiliate programs across FinTech, E-commerce, Online Services, and other popular verticals. Join the platform, choose the affiliate programs that best fit your audience, and launch performance campaigns with trusted advertisers.