Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg announced on Wednesday that the company is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into digital assistants and smart glasses in an effort to catch up in the AI race. The announcement was made at the Connect developers conference, Meta’s annual product event, held at the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley.
Zuckerberg highlighted the advancements in AI that enable the creation of different applications and personas aimed at helping users accomplish various tasks. He also emphasized that smart glasses will eventually integrate all of these features into a stylish wearable device.
Smart glasses have been one of the many attempts by tech companies to move beyond smartphones, but their adoption has been limited thus far. The upcoming second-generation Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, produced in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, will be priced at $299 (approximately RM1,407) and will hit the market on October 17. These glasses will also allow users to stream real-time visuals.
In addition to smart glasses, Meta revealed 28 AI characters that users can interact with on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. These virtual personalities are based on celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton, and YouTube star MrBeast. Zuckerberg demonstrated an interaction with one of these AI characters on stage, mentioning that the bots will soon have their own voices.
While unveiling the latest version of the Quest virtual reality headset, Meta showcased improved graphics, enhanced audio, and a feature that enables wearers to see their surroundings without removing the headset. The Quest 3 headsets will be available for purchase from October 10, starting at $499 (approximately RM2,349). Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, stated that the Quest 3 will offer the best value in the market for a considerable period.
Meta’s cautious approach to releasing AI products differentiates it from competitors like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google. The company focuses on incremental progress and makes its in-house models accessible to developers and researchers.
Chris Cox, Meta’s chief product officer, highlighted the potential of mixed reality, which digitally augments the real world and offers a step beyond traditional virtual reality (VR). Cox believes that mixed reality will make VR more useful and eliminate the issue of users accidentally hurting themselves or damaging objects around them.
The Connect conference marked the first in-person edition since 2019, and it was widely anticipated that Meta would make announcements regarding generative AI technologies.
With the introduction of AI in digital assistants and smart glasses, Meta aims to regain its position in the AI race and provide innovative and affordable products to its users.
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Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
