Outdoor retailer REI ran an Instagram ad for a Van Rysel road bike that Meta’s Advantage+ AI personalization tool had altered without REI’s knowledge, producing a distorted image with two sets of handlebars, misrouted chains, and a warped human figure. REI said it had been automatically enrolled in the generative AI ad tool and did not catch the altered image before the ad went live; the post ran for about a week before REI removed it following public backlash in June 2026. REI apologized, confirmed it had unenrolled from the program, and said the tool did not align with its values.