In addition to the assistant, Meta is introducing 28 AI characters, some of which are based on celebrities, across its messaging apps. These characters have an "embodiment" feature that animates their profile image based on the conversation. The company has also implemented numerous safeguards to prevent the AI from causing PR issues. Currently, Meta AI is not trained on public user data from Instagram and Facebook, but this feature is likely to be introduced in the future.
Key takeaways:
- Meta is officially entering the AI chatbot wars with its own assistant and a range of AI characters for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. The AI assistant can be used for a variety of tasks, from planning a trip to answering search engine-like questions.
- The Meta AI has the ability to generate images and is partnered with Microsoft’s Bing to provide real-time web results, setting it apart from other free AIs. The AI assistant's development is led by Ahmad Al-Dahle, Meta’s VP of generative AI.
- Meta is also rolling out an initial roster of 28 AI characters across its messaging apps, many of which are based on celebrities. These characters have an "embodiment" feature where their profile image subtly animates based on the conversation.
- Despite its newness, Meta AI has been extensively tested to avoid problematic use cases. It is not currently trained on public user data across Instagram and Facebook, but this feature may be coming in the future.