Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has introduced a lineup of innovative chatbots designed to bring a touch of "personality" to its Messenger service. These chatbots are set to specialize in various subjects, ranging from holiday planning to culinary advice.
This development marks the latest move in an ongoing chatbot competition among tech giants, all vying to create more accurate and personalized artificial intelligence experiences.
During Meta's first in-person event in California since the onset of the pandemic, CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that the chatbots are still a work in progress and come with certain "limitations."
The central chatbot, referred to as "Meta AI," can be utilized within messaging platforms. For example, users can engage with Meta AI by asking questions in chat, such as settling disputes or seeking general information.
It's important to note that the BBC has yet to test this chatbot, which is built upon Llama 2, the company's extensive language model made available for public commercial use in July.
Notably, several celebrities have signed up to lend their personalities to different types of chatbots, including Snoop Dogg and Kendall Jenner. The goal is to create chatbots that offer more than just factual responses; they aim to provide entertainment.
Mark Zuckerberg emphasized, "This isn't just going to be about answering queries. This is about entertainment."
Meta has announced that NFL star Tom Brady will be the voice behind an AI character named 'Bru,' described as a "wisecracking sports debater." Additionally, YouTube sensation MrBeast will portray 'Zach,' a big brother figure known for his humorous roasts.
However, Zuckerberg pointed out that there are still "a lot of limitations" concerning the types of queries these chatbots can handle.
The chatbots will initially roll out in the United States in the coming days.
In addition to the chatbots, Mark Zuckerberg discussed the metaverse, a virtual world concept on which Meta has invested tens of billions of dollars. While Meta had previously unveiled its new virtual reality headset, Quest 3, further details were shared during the event.
Zuckerberg described the headset as the first "mainstream" mixed reality headset. Equipped with forward-facing cameras, the device enables augmented reality experiences. The Quest 3 is set to be available starting from October 10th.
Despite these advancements, Meta's significant long-term bet on the metaverse has yet to yield substantial returns, with the company's VR division reporting losses of $21 billion (£17 billion) since the beginning of 2022.
This announcement aligns with Apple's entry into the higher-priced mixed reality hardware market earlier this year with the Vision Pro.
Mat Day, Global Gaming Strategy Director for EssenceMediacom, highlighted how Mark Zuckerberg has revitalized the VR sector, positioning Meta's VR offerings to target a mass-market audience, in contrast to Apple's focus on high-end tech enthusiasts.
Meta's announcement coincided with rival OpenAI's revelation that its chatbot can now browse the internet to provide users with real-time information, marking a significant development in the artificial intelligence landscape. Previously, the system was trained solely on data up to September 2021.