Meta, a social media company founded by Mark Zuckerberg, has announced significant upgrades to its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The most notable change is the introduction of visual capabilities, allowing users’ photos and other visual information to be analyzed. This upgrade will enable various applications, such as robotics, virtual reality, and AI agents that can use cameras or screens to perform tasks on behalf of users.
The new AI models, known as Llama 3.2, are free and open-source, making them accessible to developers and startups worldwide. This move may give Meta an edge in providing the foundation for many AI tools and services.
In addition to visual capabilities, Meta’s upgraded AI assistants will feature celebrity voices from notable actors and actresses, including Dame Judi Dench and John Cena. The company also announced the release of Llama 3.2 in various sizes, with corresponding capabilities, including versions optimized for mobile devices.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated several new AI features at a recent event, showcasing applications such as recipe advice based on ingredients in view and commentary on clothing seen on a rack in a store. The company is also working on experimental AI features like live translation between Spanish and English, automatic dubbing of videos into different languages, and an avatar for creators that can answer fan questions.
The upgrades aim to make Meta’s AI more prominent and accessible, with the potential to give many people their first taste of a new generation of more vocal and visually capable AI helpers. With its enormous reach through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, Meta’s AI assistant is used by over 180 million people every week.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/meta-releases-new-llama-model-ai-voice/