Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Meta's AI customer support chatbot on Instagram, successfully compromising numerous accounts, including notable ones like Barack Obama's White House account and the retailer Sephora. The exploit involved tricking the AI into initiating password resets by changing the associated email address and sending access codes directly to the hackers. This social engineering attack bypassed traditional identity verification, allowing perpetrators to gain control of accounts without needing the user's original password or email. Meta has since patched the exploit and is working to secure affected accounts, with security researchers highlighting that multi-factor authentication would have prevented this specific breach.