Meta is making some serious waves in the AI world with announcements coming out of Meta Connect 2024. The latest news of Meta AI voice-enabled AI assistant has been punctuated by using high-profile actors including Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Kristen Bell, Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key. But the underlying tech is something that rivals ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode recent announcement.
This marks a giant step forward in the race at Meta to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini Live in the emergent generative AI space.
Meta AI's new voice feature, set to roll out this week in the U.S. and other English-speaking markets, will emerge across Meta's suite of apps — including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
This positions Meta to make a bold move into the world of voice assistants, allowing users to pick from a range of celebrity voices, or stick with more generic ones. The inclusion of Judi Dench is especially interesting, given that her voice is considered iconic, refined and recognizable. This fact could add more weight to this experience broadening the user audience.
In providing these voices, Meta taps into a special blend of entertainment and functionality, from the stately tone of Judi Dench to the comedic flair of Keegan-Michael Key, an AI assistant designed to offer users more personalized and engaging ways of interacting rather than the stiff feel of digital assistants.
In many ways, this is an attempt to humanize even further — making it a natural inclusion in daily engagement. Voice technology alone evokes an emotional response that text alone cannot. For example, the potential of getting a response in the familiar voice of an actor one adores adds a layer of novelty, but also convenience, making the AI feel more companion-like.
Spurred by Meta, innovation has reached a point where the competition for dominance in the AI assistant space is stronger than ever. By signing formal agreements with the actors, Meta avoids legal issues that might arise while at the same time guaranteeing a genuine and authentic experience. The race to AI dominance goes on, but this bold new move by Meta may just be its breakthrough to square up not just against ChatGPT Voice but Google’s Gemini Live as well.
