/
© 2026 RiffOn. All rights reserved.
  1. Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
  2. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media · Dec 19, 2025

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on expanding to TV, competing with TikTok's ranking systems, and using AI to personalize the future of social.

Instagram's Future Is Proactive User Control Over Recommendation Algorithms

Adam Mosseri's 5-year vision for Instagram is not just better recommendations, but giving users direct, 'hands-on' control to shape their own algorithms. This moves beyond passive consumption to active curation, allowing users to 'touch metal' and build their own feeds.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago

Instagram's TV App Is a Land Grab for Untapped Screen Time, Not a Pivot to Television

CEO Adam Mosseri frames the new TV app not as a content strategy shift, but a necessary expansion to capture audience attention on a medium where competitors like YouTube are dominant. He admits Instagram is "late to the game" and must catch up.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago

Threads' Civil Discourse Strategy Sacrifices News Cycle Relevance for Broader Appeal

Threads' goal to be a more civil platform has successfully differentiated it from the 'hyper-polarized' X. However, this moderation comes at a cost: it lacks the high-conflict conversations that drive news cycles and cultural relevance, which still happen on its more chaotic rivals.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago

Instagram CEO Bets TikTok's Chinese 'Super App' Model Is a Strategic Vulnerability

Adam Mosseri suggests TikTok's biggest strategic risk is its attempt to replicate the Chinese 'super app' model. While this provides a proven playbook, it may fail in Western markets that prefer focused apps, potentially making TikTok too complex and bloated for users.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago

Instagram's Dominant Aesthetic Has Flipped from Hyper-Polished to Raw Authenticity

CEO Adam Mosseri observes a major cultural shift on Instagram away from the high-saturation, photoshopped look. The content now driving cultural relevance is its opposite: raw, unprocessed 'photo dumps.' In a world of hyper-production, users crave content that feels more authentic.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago

Instagram CEO Believes Long-Form Video Threatens Its Social Messaging Core

Adam Mosseri theorizes that while short-form video and messaging are symbiotic (sharing Reels), long-form video is "too far apart." Time spent on long videos cannibalizes the friend-to-friend sharing that forms Instagram's defensive moat against competitors like TikTok.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago

TikTok's 'Audition Algorithm' for Discovering New Creators Is Now Industry Standard

Adam Mosseri details TikTok's 'exploration-based ranking,' which systematically auditions new content by guaranteeing initial views (e.g., 100, then 1,000). This methodical system for surfacing hits from unknown creators has been adopted by Instagram and YouTube as the primary way to break new talent.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok thumbnail

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on algorithms, AI slop, and how to beat TikTok

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media·2 months ago