Meta 'bets' on AI to make leap into virtual metaverse

CEO Mark Zuckerberg describes these products as a combination of virtual and real worlds , emphasizing that this is part of Meta's effort to bring AI-integrated products at low cost or completely free into users' daily tasks.

At the Meta Connect event to launch new products on September 27, Zuckerberg said the new generation of Ray-Ban smart glasses will start shipping on October 17, priced at $299.

Smart glasses produced by Meta in collaboration with RayBan. Photo: Reuters

The wearable will be powered by an AI assistant developed by Meta, capable of streaming what the wearer is seeing to Facebook and Instagram, a significant improvement over the photo-taking feature of its predecessor.

Meanwhile, the new Quest mixed reality headset will start hitting shelves on October 10. In addition, parent company Facebook also introduced the Meta AI chatbot capable of generating text and image responses.

“Sometimes we invent something that has never been done before. And other times we innovate something that was expensive and make it accessible to everyone at an affordable cost, or even free,” said the founder of the world’s largest social network.

Meta's AI assistant is based on a custom model from the large language model Llama 2, which the company released commercially in July 2023. Zuckerberg said the chatbot has access to real-time information, through a partnership with Microsoft's search engine Bing.

Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, told Reuters that the company has taken steps to filter private details from AI training data, as well as place limits on what the tool can generate, such as images of famous figures.

AI Custom Platform

Meta says it is building a platform that developers, as well as regular users, can use to create custom AI bots with Instagram and Facebook profiles, before appearing as “avatars” in the virtual metaverse.

The Quest 3, made by Meta, continues the company's best-selling VR headset line to date, starting at $499. Photo: Reuters

“Meta is looking to make indirect profits from AI, rather than monetizing the product directly,” said Bob O’Donnell, head of research at TECHnalysis, as the company “seems more interested in building a common platform that other developers will use.”

Also at the September 27 event, Zuckerberg said Xbox cloud gaming will be available on Quest wearables starting this December.

The Quest 3, made by Meta, continues the company's best-selling VR headset line to date, starting at $499.

The product features the same mixed reality technology as the Quest Pro - the premium version launched last year, allowing wearers to display a video feed of the real world around them, reducing “closed-in” and increasing comfort for users to use for long periods of time.

(According to Reuters, CNBC)

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