Meta has unveiled Meta AI, a new version of its AI assistant based on the newly introduced Llama 3 Large Language Model (LLM).
Meta claims that this is the world's leading AI assistant that can be used for free, probably because Llama 3 outperforms GPT-3.5, which powers the free ChatGPT.
Meta AI aims to help users organize their daily lives and access information without switching between apps, the company says. It can help with tasks such as planning dinner with friends by recommending restaurants, finding concerts, or helping with studying, according to Meta.
The assistant is also available on computers through the meta.ai website, which offers typical chatbot functionality. Users can sign up to save and access their conversations with Meta AI later. It's clear that Meta is positioning Meta AI as a direct competitor to ChatGPT and Gemini Advanced.
Video: Meta
Meta AI is also a search tool
Meta AI is integrated into the search function on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, allowing users to pull real-time information from the web and Meta's platform.
For example, when planning a ski trip in a Messenger group chat, Meta AI can search for flights from New York to Colorado directly in Messenger and find the least busy weekends there, according to Meta.
Meta uses Bing's search algorithm to pull relevant information from websites into the chatbot. ChatGPT and Gemini Advanced also have this capability, with ChatGPT using Bing and Gemini using Google.
Video: Meta
This content grabbing poses a significant risk to website operators, as free web content is typically funded by website traffic. While major tech companies are aware of the problem, they have yet to provide solutions, and lawmakers have not addressed it. OpenAI licenses some content from some publishers, creating the next prisoners dilemma for all publishers without a deal.
Meta AI is also available while scrolling through the Facebook feed, where it can provide additional information on existing content, Meta says.
Image generation almost in real time
Meta is speeding up image generation with Meta AI's Imagine function, initially launching in the USA in the beta version of WhatsApp and on Meta AI-Web. As users type, they will see an image appear and change with each letter, according to Meta.
Video: Meta
The images generated are sharper, higher quality, and better matched to the text prompt than before, Meta claims. Meta AI can also rework images in a new style or convert them to animated GIFs.
Video: Meta
Meta AI is now available in the Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger apps, as well as on the meta.ai website. In addition to the U.S., Meta is launching in more than a dozen countries, including Australia, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
In the US, the assistant is also available for Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and will soon be available for Meta Quest, Meta announced.
