Meta, formerly known as Facebook, unveiled an array of groundbreaking products and services at its annual Meta Connect conference on Wednesday. These announcements included the Meta Quest 3 mixed reality headset and a collaboration with Ray-Ban to develop a pair of smart glasses. Alongside these hardware advancements, Meta introduced its own AI assistant, Meta AI, and a suite of AI features across its platforms, including AI stickers for Meta apps and AI-powered editing tools for Instagram. Of particular note is the integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.
The Capabilities of Meta AI
Meta AI will harness the power of a proprietary model inspired by Meta’s expansive language model, Llama 2. This conversational generative AI assistant joins the ranks of similar technologies like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing AI. This AI assistant will provide real-time responses to text-based queries, with the ability to scour the internet via Bing search for up-to-the-minute information. What sets Meta AI apart is its capacity to generate images based on text prompts. For example, users can simply type “@MetaAI /imagine” within their chat and describe the image they want the AI assistant to create. Accessibility to Meta AI extends to Meta’s most recent devices, the Meta Quest 3 headset and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
AI Avatars with Unique Personalities
In addition to its default AI assistant, Meta is also introducing a captivating lineup of 28 AI characters, each boasting a distinct backstory and behavior. These AI personas will be available for interactions within WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Notably, some of these AI characters will be modeled after public figures and influencers, including Dwayne Wade, Kendall Jenner, Mr. Beast, Snoop Dogg, and more.
Expressive Media Universe (Emu) Image Generation Tool
Meta unveiled the Emu image generation tool, a remarkable innovation that can rapidly produce AI stickers and photorealistic images based on users’ text prompts. Emu empowers users to create personalized stickers and seamlessly share them with friends on platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram. Renowned for its high-quality output and impressive speed, Emu-generated stickers take a mere five seconds to materialize. This feature is set to roll out to select English-language users over the next month, initially appearing in WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Stories.
AI-Powered Image Editing Tools: Restyle and Backdrop
Meta is introducing two cutting-edge AI-driven image editing features, Restyle and Backdrop, both powered by technology derived from the Emu tool. Restyle offers users the ability to apply customized filters to images based on prompts, facilitating adjustments to the mood and style of their pictures. Backdrop enables users to effortlessly alter the background of their images using personalized prompts. Images that undergo editing via these tools will be clearly marked to indicate their AI-generated origin. While Meta has announced the impending arrival of Restyle and Backdrop on Instagram, an exact release date has yet to be specified.
Meta’s latest innovations, encompassing AI assistants and image-generation tools, underscore the company’s commitment to infusing AI throughout its ecosystem. These offerings provide users with fresh and engaging methods to interact with their favorite applications and devices, reflecting Meta’s forward-looking vision for the future of technology.