Meta announced its AI will be gaining a voice (or two), along with other clever tricks at the company’s Meta Connect 2024 event. The tech giant added voice options for its AI chatbot that include the likes of Dame Judi Dench and John Cena, while also being able to get information from AI versions of Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, or Kristen Bell.
Meta is trying to keep up with other companies in terms of AR/VR, and AI. Qualcomm recently confirmed it is working with Google and Samsung on a pair of mixed reality glasses linked to a smartphone. So, it is no surprise that Meta Connect 2024 has already been filled with exciting announcements from the tech giant, such as the new Quest 3S VR headset, a pair of AR prototype glasses, and of course, new features coming to its Meta AI.
During the event, Meta announced users will now be able to use their voice to talk to Meta AI on Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram DM, and it will respond back out loud. As the feature rolls out, users will be able to choose from different familiar voice options such as John Cena and Kristen Bell, by asking about something they are simply curious about, or even asking for a joke to lighten the mood.
Not only will users be able to chat with Meta AI, they can also share photos in chat with the chatbot, and the chatbot will be able to understand what it is looking at and answer questions about it. Meta says this means someone being able to share a photo of a flower they see on a hike, and asking Meta AI what kind of flower it is.
Users will also be able to get help editing photos in a chat with Meta AI and telling the chatbot what they want added, removed, or changed in the photo. And the fun doesn’t stop there, as Meta AI will also be able to take a photo from someone’s Instagram Story, and add a fun background to give the post more creativity.
Other nifty tricks Meta shared included the company testing a Meta AI translation tool that will automatically translate the audio of Reels, so more people can enjoy the content. The feature is starting with small tests on Instagram and Facebook, translating some creators’ videos from Latin America and the US in English and Spanish, with plans to expand to more creators and languages in the future.
Meta is also looking at expanding its AI’s Imagine features, so users can imagine themselves as a superhero, or pretty much anything else they desire right in feed, Stories, and a Facebook profile picture. Users will then be able to share their AI-generated images to friends, who can try to out do them.
Meta Connect 2024 is a two-day event that runs through today. Be sure to stay tuned to HotHardware for any more announcements.