Meta has unveiled new artificial intelligence (AI) tools and celebrities-endorsed digital assistants at its Connect conference. The company, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, showcased its AI software, Quest 3 virtual reality headset, and Ray-Ban smart glasses. Users of Facebook’s messaging apps will soon be able to share automatically generated digital stickers based on written prompts. Additionally, Zuckerberg introduced AI-powered editing tools for Instagram, allowing users to modify their photos and pictures with written prompts. The company’s Emu computer vision model powers these AI tools, generating images in approximately five seconds.
Meta AI, a digital assistant similar to ChatGPT, has been developed to answer text queries and can access Microsoft’s Bing search engine for real-time information. Meta has also collaborated with celebrities like Paris Hilton and Mr. Beast to represent digital characters. Zuckerberg mentioned the company’s plan to eventually allow users to create their own digital assistants, but they aim to first test this capability with select businesses. Meta’s grand plan involves integrating these AI-powered digital assistants into the future metaverse, their ambitious digital universe project. Zuckerberg emphasized that AI investments are crucial for building the foundation of the metaverse.
Furthermore, the company unveiled its new Ray-Ban smart glasses developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. Priced at $299, these glasses come embedded with Meta’s AI software, enhancing users’ experiences by enabling them to identify landmarks or translate signs when looking at objects. Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of AI in making smart glasses more compelling, in addition to the advances being made in holograms and displays. The company sees AI breakthroughs as integral to the future success of smart glasses and achieving ubiquity in the market.
