In a development at Meta’s annual Connect conference, CEO, Mark Zuckerberg says renowned actors Dame Judi Dench and John Cena will be voice options for its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.
Users will also have the option to interact with AI versions of Awkwafina, Keegan Michael Key, and Kristen Bell for information.
Meta will be hoping this use of celebrity chatbots goes better than its last attempt.
In September 2023, it debuted what it called AI chatbots with “personality”, based on celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Snoop Dogg, only to pull the plug less than a year later.
The technology company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, revealed these updates during Meta’s annual Connect conference.
During the event, Zuckerberg also introduced the first functioning prototype of Meta’s augmented-reality (AR) glasses, named Orion.
Speaking about the improvements to Meta AI, Zuckerberg said: “I think that voice is going to be a way more natural way of interacting with AI than text.”
Other new features for the ChatGPT-like chatbot include the ability to recognize objects from user photographs and provide relevant information about them.
There is also a new image editing tool that will let users modify photos simply by instructing Meta AI on what changes they would like made.
According to Meta, more than 400 million users engage with Meta AI monthly, with 185 million of them returning weekly.
Demonstrating the Orion glasses, Zuckerberg stated: “A lot of people have said this is the craziest technology they’ve ever seen.”
Users will be able to interact with the Orion glasses using hand gestures, voice commands, and a wrist-based interface.
Meta also introduced an entry-level model of its Quest series of mixed-reality headsets, with the new Quest 3S starting at $300 (£225).
Several major tech companies have been working on developing AR glasses, though none have yet produced a commercially successful mass-market device.
Meta has invested billions in developing AI, AR, and other technologies related to the metaverse in recent years.
This year, the company is projected to spend up to $40 billion on new initiatives, setting a new record.
Before the conference, Meta’s shares closed Wednesday’s trading day at a record high of $568.31.
Meta – which owns Facebook and WhatsApp – has seen its stock value increase by more than 60% since the beginning of the year.
Instagram owner Meta, also unveiled the first working prototype of Meta’s augmented-reality (AR) glasses, called Orion.
Users will be able to interact with Orion through hand-tracking, voice and wrist-based interface.
The company – which also owns social media platforms Facebook and WhatsApp – has seen its stock market value rise by more than 60% since the start of this year.
However, ahead of Meta’s annual showcase, thousands of Facebook and Instagram users, including many celebrities, shared a Stories post that falsely claimed people had to repost it if they did not want the firm to use their content to train its AI tools.
James McAvoy and Tom Brady were among those who fell for the hoax.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed users can only object to having their content used by submitting an objection form.
This can be accessed by clicking on a notification sent to users about the plans, or by going to the privacy centre under account settings.
