Meta’s latest app allows users to pick from a list of celebrities for users to interact with. (Source: Meta)

Meta AI Chatbot Assists Users with Popular Celebrity Images, Voices

As exciting, powerful, and versatile as the new AI chatbot technology is, it is still pretty new for most everyday people. Outside workers, construction workers and the like might not be as familiar with the new way AI is changing everything. The popularity of the generated AI for text, image, or conversation is undeniable. But it seems to improve every week and it’s best to try and keep up with the latest upgrades.

Among the media reporting on the major Meta announcement last week were theverge.com and arstechnica.com.

Last Wednesday, Meta announced its consumer-friendly entry into the crowded AI chatbot landscape, The Verge reports. During a presentation at Meta Connect 2023, the company said it is launching its own “Meta AI” chat assistant and a selection of AI characters across its messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger.

New Applications

It’s been like watching kids jump in the AI pool and hollering “The last one in is a rotten egg.” Since November of 2022 when ChatGPT first arrived for the public’s use, one tech company after another has added chatbots to their services, almost immediately.

Meta’s new AI assistant will likely feel familiar to anyone who has used chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude. It’s designed as a general-purpose chatbot that Meta says can help with planning trips, answering questions, and generating images from text prompts. The assistant will also integrate real-time results from Microsoft’s Bing search engine, giving it access to current information—similar to Bing Chat, ChatGPT’s browsing plugin, and Google Bard.

The Big Fake News

Some might consider this next application to be the pathway to deepfake problems, it is explained why it isn’t. Get ready for your favorite celebrity.

In addition to the general assistant, Meta is rolling out 28 AI-powered characters across its messaging platforms, including many played by celebrities, such as Tom Brady (who plays “Bru,” a sports fanatic), Kendall Jenner (who plays “Billie,” the “big sis”), and Snoop Dogg (who is a “dungeon master” with gaming advice).

Meta executives view the company’s massive user reach as a key advantage, with billions of daily users across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger.

While OpenAI arguably pioneered the generative AI chatbot space, Meta’s scale may allow its assistant to reach more consumers for their first chatbot experience—while increasing lucrative user engagement in its apps.

If it is your first experience using chatbot tech, just get on board and enjoy this amazing new AI-generated ride. Just tell it what you want, with the right prompt, and you will create amazing new stuff with this amazing AI. Best of luck to Meta with these upgrades.

read more at arstechnica.com