Meta AI, AI celebrities, and everything else 'AI-ified' at Meta Connect 2023
Meta's vision for generative AI is making it more accessible to the masses. That means integrating various features and tools within Meta-owned Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook in myriad ways.
At Meta Connect 2023, CEO Mark Zuckerberg's keynote spent a good chunk of time announcing AI features for image generation, as a personal assistant, and as an AI-generated version of your favorite celebrity... kind of. Read on for all of the AI announcements at Meta Connect.
Meta AI as your personal assistant
One the most applicable use cases of generative AI is as a personal assistant that can provide you with information perform mundane online tasks. Meta AI is Meta's version of that for WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and soon, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Quest 3.
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Powered by its open-source large language model Llama 2, Meta AI is a tool that chats directly with users to answer questions or share information, such as restaurant recommendations or biking trails nearby. Meta AI has access to real-time information, thanks to a partnership with Bing, and can generate images from text prompts in a matter of seconds. Meta AI will be available in beta in the U.S.
Celebrities as AI characters
So you want to talk to an AI chatbot, but you want it to be a celebrity playing a character of a certain persona? Well, Meta has your answer. In addition to Meta AI, or what you might consider "AI Classic," Meta announced 28 more AI characters that have unique personalities and interests, available on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. Meta's AI characters are designed to humanize the experience of talking to a chatbot so that's it's more fun and interactive — much like Character.AI.
To make these AI characters even more personable, they're curiously embodied by real celebrities. So you're not chatting with an AI-generated version of a celebrity, you're chatting with an AI-generated version of a celebrity playing a character. For example, former basketball pro Duane Wade plays Victor, an "Ironman triathlete motivating you to be your best self," Kendall Jenner plays Billie, a "no-BS, ride-or-die companion," and Charli D'Amelio plays a dance enthusiast named Coco. And then there's Snoop Dogg as Dungeon Master for Dungeons & Dragons — because people can never seem to get enough of the Doggfather.
It's confusing and we don't totally get it either. But Meta's AI characters are available to chat with in Beta in the U.S. starting today.
AI image-editing on Instagram
Coming soon to Instagram, you'll be able to edit photos using Meta's new image generation model Emu (Expressive Media Universe). With this new tool, you can change backgrounds and styles of an image from a text prompt. For example, making an image look like a watercooler, or changing the background to look like you're surrounded by puppies. Given the transparency pitfalls, AI edited-images will be indicated and fairly obvious, and Meta says it is exploring the idea of invisible or visible watermarks.
AI-generated stickers
For those who believe a message isn't complete without a sticker, you know have to ability to make your own stickers using AI image generation.
Meta's new image model Emu can turn your text prompt into a sticker in a matter of seconds. This new feature is rolling out next month to WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Stories.
Future AI features in the Meta pipeline
Zuckerberg also announced AI-related tools for developers, businesses, and creators. AI Studio is a platform for training AI models and developing third-party AIs that non-coders can use. Businesses will be able to develop their own AI characters for customer service and communications, and creators can build AI personas for expanding their brand and virtual presence. Meta will also release a sandbox for experimenting with building AIs. Meta's AI studio will launch in the coming weeks, with the business-friendly version rolling out next year.
Topics Artificial Intelligence Meta
Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on X at @cecily_mauran.
