Meta's AI subsidiary is promoting a business model that sounds more like a get-rich-quick scheme than legitimate technology development. The company is running ads encouraging people to find local businesses with poor or missing websites, use AI to build replacements, then cold-call those businesses to sell the unsolicited work.
The AI company, which Meta acquired for $2 billion last year, has been paying social media influencers to promote this approach across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The campaign positions AI website building as an easy path to quick income, targeting people looking for side hustles or alternative revenue streams.
The marketing strategy involves identifying local businesses — restaurants, service providers, small retailers — that either lack websites or have outdated ones. Participants would then use the company's AI tools to create new sites and contact business owners with a sales pitch for the finished product.
Several promotional accounts on TikTok were removed after media attention focused on the campaign. This suggests the platform found the content problematic, though the specific violations weren't disclosed.
The approach reflects a troubling trend in AI marketing. Instead of focusing on legitimate productivity gains or business improvements, some companies are positioning their tools as vehicles for questionable sales tactics. This particular model essentially turns users into unsolicited vendors targeting businesses that never requested help.
For the broader AI industry, this represents exactly the kind of reputation damage the sector doesn't need. Legitimate AI tools face enough skepticism about their value and implementation. When major tech companies promote schemes that sound like cold-calling operations, it undermines trust in AI technology overall.
The business model also raises questions about the quality and value of AI-generated websites. If the approach requires cold-calling businesses rather than responding to genuine demand, it suggests the end product may not be compelling enough to generate organic interest.
Small business owners should be particularly wary of this development. You're likely to receive more unsolicited calls from people offering AI-built websites, often at prices that may seem reasonable but for work you didn't request. These callers will position themselves as helpful technology providers, but they're essentially door-to-door salespeople with AI tools.
Before engaging with any such offers, consider whether you actually need a new website and whether working with a local developer or established web design service might better serve your needs. AI-generated sites can be functional, but they often lack the customization and ongoing support that local businesses require.
The bigger concern is what this model means for the AI tools landscape. If major companies are encouraging users to become unsolicited vendors rather than focusing on legitimate business applications, it suggests some AI tools may be solutions looking for problems rather than addressing real market needs.
Watch for increased regulatory scrutiny of AI marketing practices, especially those that encourage potentially predatory business models. Some states may begin investigating these approaches under existing business opportunity or franchise laws.
The bottom line: Be skeptical of AI tools marketed as easy money opportunities, especially those involving cold-calling businesses. Legitimate AI productivity tools don't require you to become a door-to-door salesperson to generate value.