News/Meta
What to know about Meta AI
Meta AI: Democratizing artificial intelligence: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has introduced Meta AI, a free and widely accessible AI model designed to transform user interactions across its social media platforms. Meta AI is built on the open-source Llama 3.2 model and is integrated into Meta's ecosystem, including Ray-Ban smart glasses. The AI is available as a standalone chatbot at meta.ai and within Meta's social media platforms. It offers features such as voice mode, image editing, and access to user data. Technical foundation and accessibility: Meta AI leverages advanced machine learning algorithms and natural language processing...
read Oct 11, 2024Meta’s new AI Voice is pretty, pretty good
Meta's AI Voice Assistant Debuts: Meta has launched a new voice mode for its Meta AI chatbot, integrating it into popular platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Ray-Ban smart glasses, with varying availability across regions. The voice assistant employs a unique approach, first converting speech to text, then generating a text response, and finally reading it aloud. Users can choose from a variety of voice options, including celebrity voices like Judi Dench and Awkwafina, as well as non-celebrity options. To access the voice mode, users initiate a chat with the AI and activate it using a waveform icon in the...
read Oct 11, 2024How Meta decides what hardware to launch next
Meta's hardware development process: A strategic approach to innovation: Meta's Reality Labs division employs a structured, multi-phase process for developing new hardware products, balancing creativity with practicality. Meta CTO Andrew "Boz" Bosworth revealed insights into the company's hardware development strategy during an interview with Alex Heath, shedding light on how Meta decides which concepts to pursue. The process begins with a "pre-discovery team" that focuses on prototyping innovative and potentially radical ideas, creating initial "proof of experience" models. Following executive review, a select few concepts advance to the "discovery" phase, where dedicated teams explore industrial design, cost factors, and other...
read Oct 10, 2024Meta’s AI imagination stalls at EU borders
Global expansion of Meta AI: Meta's artificial intelligence assistant is making significant strides in its international rollout, with launches in several countries and plans for further expansion in the coming weeks. Meta AI is debuting in Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala, Paraguay, the Philippines, and the UK this week. Over the next few weeks, the AI assistant will be introduced in 21 additional countries across Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. After this expansion, Meta AI will be available in 43 countries and support a dozen languages. New features and language support: The expansion comes with enhanced capabilities and increased language...
read Oct 9, 2024Meta brings AI tools to 21 new countries, expanding global reach
Meta expands AI features globally: Meta has announced the expansion of its AI features, including a chatbot and image generation Studio, to 21 additional countries, significantly broadening its international reach. Geographical expansion details: The rollout of Meta AI encompasses a diverse range of countries across multiple continents, reflecting the company's commitment to global accessibility. Countries newly gaining access include Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala, Paraguay, Philippines, and the United Kingdom, among others in Latin America and Asia. Meta plans to extend availability to Middle Eastern countries in the coming weeks. Following this expansion, Meta AI will be accessible in 43 countries and...
read Oct 9, 2024Meta expands AI assistant to new global markets
Meta expands AI capabilities globally: Meta's AI assistant is set to broaden its reach, with plans to introduce the technology to 21 new countries and support additional languages by the end of the year. The rollout begins immediately in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Guatemala, Bolivia, Paraguay, and the Philippines. Meta AI currently boasts nearly 500 million active monthly users, indicating its significant popularity and widespread adoption. The expansion underscores Meta's commitment to making its AI technology accessible to a broader, more diverse user base. Smart glasses integration: Meta is extending the AI assistant's functionality to its Ray-Ban smart glasses in...
read Oct 8, 2024Meta to bring AI-edited video ads to Facebook and Instagram
AI-powered video ad editing comes to Facebook and Instagram: Meta is introducing new AI tools that will allow advertisers to enhance their video ads on the popular social media platforms. Meta is testing AI capabilities that can animate static images and expand video borders, offering advertisers more creative options for their campaigns. The AI animation tool can generate video content from a still image, such as making background elements move subtly within the frame. Another feature uses AI to increase the size of existing videos by generating additional pixels in each frame, similar to AI image editing tools that expand...
read Oct 7, 2024Meta’s new AI video generator will blow your mind
Meta's Movie Gen: A New Contender in AI Video Generation: Meta has unveiled Movie Gen, a sophisticated AI video generator that produces short films from text prompts, rivaling OpenAI's Sora in capabilities and access limitations. Key features and capabilities: Movie Gen offers an array of impressive functionalities, positioning it as a powerful tool for filmmakers and content creators. The AI can generate 16-second videos at 1080p resolution, with a frame rate of 16 fps, or 10-second clips at the standard 24 fps. A personalization feature allows users to incorporate real people into generated videos using reference images, similar to Meta's...
read Oct 7, 2024Meta’s new AI tool generates and edits realistic videos
Meta unveils Movie Gen: A new frontier in AI-generated video and audio: Meta has announced Movie Gen, a cutting-edge AI tool capable of creating and editing realistic video and audio content based on text prompts, marking a significant advancement in the field of AI-generated media. Capabilities and features: Movie Gen boasts an impressive array of functionalities that position it as a powerful contender in the rapidly evolving AI video generation landscape. The system can generate 1080p videos up to 16 seconds long in various aspect ratios, offering flexibility for different platforms and use cases. Movie Gen extends its capabilities to...
read Oct 1, 2024Meta won’t say whether it uses Ray-Ban photos to train AI models
Meta's Vague Stance on AI Training with Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Data: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has refused to provide a clear answer on whether it plans to use photos and videos captured by Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to train its artificial intelligence models. When questioned by TechCrunch, Meta representatives responded with evasive statements, saying they're "not publicly discussing" the topic and that it's "not something we typically share externally." Meta spokesperson Mimi Huggins further added, "we're not saying either way," when pressed for clarification. This lack of transparency raises concerns about user privacy and data usage, especially given...
read Sep 30, 2024Meta’s new AI voice feature will be available ‘in the coming days’
Meta AI Introduces Celebrity Voices: Meta AI is set to launch a new feature that allows users to interact with their AI assistant using the voices of popular celebrities, bringing a personalized touch to AI interactions across Meta's platforms. Meta's Generative AI lead, Ahmad Al-Dahle, shared a behind-the-scenes video on X (formerly Twitter) showcasing the recording process with celebrities. The 48-second clip features Keegan-Michael Key, Kristen Bell, John Cena, Awkwafina, and Dame Judi Dench recording lines for the AI assistant. Dame Judi Dench appears to be taking the recording process most seriously among the featured celebrities. Rollout and Availability: The...
read Sep 29, 2024Mark Zuckerberg to testify in AI copyright suit by authors
Meta CEO faces legal challenge over AI copyright infringement: Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is set to be deposed in a lawsuit accusing the company of using copyrighted material without permission to train its artificial intelligence technology. A U.S. District Judge rejected Meta's attempt to prevent Zuckerberg's deposition, citing evidence of his direct involvement in the company's AI initiatives. The class action lawsuit, filed by authors including comedian Sarah Silverman, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, alleges that Meta illegally downloaded digital copies of their books for AI training purposes. Prominent attorney David Boies, known for representing...
read Sep 29, 2024AI chip race heats up as Google and Meta upgrade models
AI model advancements reshape the competitive landscape: Google and Meta have unveiled significant updates to their AI models, while Google's AI-powered chip designer makes waves in the semiconductor industry. Google Gemini updates bring performance gains and cost reductions: Google has released new versions of its Gemini models, offering improved capabilities and more attractive pricing for developers. The new Gemini-1.5-Pro-002 and Gemini-1.5-Flash-002 models boast enhanced performance across various tasks, including a 7% increase in MMLU-Pro benchmark scores and a 20% improvement in math-related tasks. Google has dramatically reduced pricing for Gemini 1.5 Pro, cutting input token costs by 64% and output...
read Sep 27, 2024Meta’s Orion glasses aim to succeed where Google Glass failed
Meta's AI Wearables Revolution: Meta unveiled two groundbreaking smart glasses at Meta Connect 2024, potentially overcoming the stigma associated with previous AI wearables like Google Glass. The smart glasses lineup: Meta introduced an upgraded version of its Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and previewed Orion, a more advanced augmented reality (AR) and AI-powered device. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses focus on fashion and comfort, with subtle AI integration and a $330 price point. Orion, still in prototype stage, offers a more immersive AR and AI experience with hand and eye-tracking capabilities. Addressing past failures: Meta's approach tackles key issues that plagued...
read Sep 26, 2024New Meta AI tools will translate audio reels in real time
AI-powered translation revolutionizes social media content consumption: Meta has unveiled a groundbreaking AI translation tool that promises to transform how users interact with Facebook and Instagram Reels across language barriers. Key features of the new AI translation tool: Automatically translates audio in Reels to the viewer's preferred language Utilizes advanced dubbing and lip-syncing technology to simulate the speaker's voice in the target language Synchronizes lip movements to match the translated audio, creating a more natural viewing experience Current testing and future expansion: Meta is conducting small-scale tests on its platforms, focusing on English and Spanish translations Initial tests involve creators...
read Sep 26, 2024Facebook, Instagram now use AI to edit, answer questions about photos
AI-powered photo analysis and editing come to Meta platforms: Meta has announced significant AI enhancements to its chatbot, Meta AI, enabling users to interact with and manipulate images across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Multimodal capabilities for image understanding: Meta AI can now "see" and analyze photos shared in chats, offering users the ability to ask questions about image content. Users can inquire about objects, animals, or scenes in photos, with Meta AI providing accurate identifications and descriptions. The AI can offer practical information based on image content, such as providing recipes and ingredient lists when shown a photo of...
read Sep 26, 2024The biggest announcements from Meta Connect 2024
Meta Connect 2024 unveils AI innovations and new hardware: Meta's annual Connect conference showcases the company's latest advancements in AI, AR, and VR technologies, highlighting its vision for the future of social media and the metaverse. Key announcements and product launches: Meta introduces a range of new features and products, including AI-powered voice assistants, smart glasses, and VR headsets. Meta debuts AI voice mode with celebrity voices, allowing users to interact with AI assistants voiced by Awkwafina, John Cena, and Judi Dench. The company announces plans to integrate AI-generated images into Facebook and Instagram feeds, enhancing user content creation capabilities....
read Sep 26, 2024How MetaAI Voice compares to other AI assistants
The dawn of conversational AI assistants: Meta has entered the race to create the ultimate voice assistant with MetaAI Voice, joining competitors like OpenAI's ChatGPT Voice and Google's Gemini Voice in the rapidly evolving landscape of conversational AI technology. MetaAI Voice is designed to provide natural language interaction for Meta's products, including Ray-Ban smart glasses and Quest VR headsets, where traditional input methods like keyboards or touch screens are impractical. The new voice assistant can handle complex and vague queries, demonstrating its ability to understand context and provide relevant responses. Unlike its competitors, MetaAI Voice offers celebrity voices, including Dame...
read Sep 26, 2024Kristen Bell told Meta to ‘get rid of AI’ — now she’s its voice
Meta's AI voice initiative faces unexpected twist: Kristen Bell, previously critical of AI data use, has become one of the official voices for Meta's AI chatbot, highlighting the complex relationship between celebrities and AI technology. • Meta has secured deals with high-profile actors, including Kristen Bell, to provide voices for its Meta AI chatbot.• Bell's participation comes as a surprise, given her previous public opposition to Meta's AI using her data.• In June, Bell reposted a popular Instagram message refusing consent for Meta to use her content and likeness for AI training. Celebrity concerns and misconceptions: The reposting of AI...
read Sep 26, 2024Meta’s new Llama AI model can now see and run on your device
Llama 3.2 Introduces Multimodal and On-Device Models: Meta's latest update to its Llama language model series brings significant advancements in AI capabilities, including vision processing and compact on-device models. Key Features and Enhancements: The Llama 3.2 release incorporates new multimodal vision models and smaller language models optimized for on-device applications, expanding the versatility and accessibility of AI technologies. Two sizes of vision models (11B and 90B parameters) are now available, each with base and instruction-tuned variants, enabling the processing of both text and images in tandem. New 1B and 3B parameter text-only models have been introduced, designed specifically for on-device...
read Sep 26, 2024Meta’s Llama Stack simplifies AI adoption for enterprises
Meta's Llama Stack revolutionizes enterprise AI adoption: Meta has launched Llama Stack distributions, a comprehensive suite of tools designed to simplify AI deployment across various computing environments, marking a significant step in making advanced AI capabilities more accessible to businesses of all sizes. The announcement was made at Meta's annual Connect developer conference, alongside the release of new Llama 3.2 models. Llama Stack introduces a standardized API for model customization and deployment, addressing the complexity of integrating AI systems into existing IT infrastructures. The suite provides a unified interface for tasks such as fine-tuning, synthetic data generation, and agentic application...
read Sep 26, 2024Zuckerberg claims creators overvalue their AI training contributions
AI training and copyright: Meta's stance on content usage: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg addresses the complex copyright issues surrounding data scraping for AI model training, suggesting that individual creators may overestimate the value of their content in this context. Zuckerberg believes that while some partnerships may be formed for particularly valuable content, Meta would generally opt not to use content if creators demanded payment or objected to its use. This approach mirrors Meta's strategy with news outlets, where the company has shown a willingness to walk away rather than pay for content it deems not valuable enough. Legal landscape and...
read Sep 25, 2024Meta AI Voice challenges ChatGPT with celebrity-voiced assistant
Meta's AI voice assistant breakthrough: Meta has announced a new voice-enabled AI assistant featuring celebrity voices, positioning itself as a strong competitor to ChatGPT and Google's Gemini Live in the generative AI space. The new Meta AI voice feature will be available across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, rolling out this week in the U.S. and other English-speaking markets. Users can choose from a range of celebrity voices, including Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Kristen Bell, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key, or opt for more generic voices. Meta has signed formal agreements with the actors to avoid legal issues and ensure an...
read Sep 25, 2024Meta unveils 6 game-changing AI and VR innovations
Meta Connect 2024 unveils groundbreaking AR and AI innovations: The annual event showcased Meta's latest advancements in augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality technologies, emphasizing the company's commitment to shaping the future of human-computer interaction. Orion AR glasses prototype steals the show: Meta revealed its first fully holographic augmented reality glasses, marking a significant leap in wearable technology. The Orion glasses feature a sleek design similar to traditional eyewear but with advanced technology packed inside. A new display architecture enables fully see-through lenses, allowing users to view digital overlays in their real-world environment. Control is achieved through neural-network-based hand...
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