Meta is preparing to enrich the experience of its AI chatbots on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp with voices you will undoubtedly recognize.
Familiar voices for a unique experience
At the Meta Connect event this Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a major update for the company’s suite of artificial intelligence products. Among the new features, we find AI dubbing and tools for editing photos using AI. But the real surprise lies in the addition of celebrity voices to chatbots.
Zuckerberg said this voice feature would begin rolling out as early as this week. “We want this to be fun,” he announced on stage. “In addition to the various system voices that we’ve developed that I think are pretty good, we’ve also collaborated with some of the more iconic voices to bring them into Meta IA. »
I still remember the first time I used a voice assistant that barely understood my requests. Now imagining interacting with famous voices makes the experience significantly more engaging.
A live demonstration with Awkwafina
To illustrate this new feature, Zuckerberg performed a live demonstration using the voice of actress Awkwafina. He asked: “Are live demonstrations risky? » The AI system, in Awkwafina’s voice, responded: “Live demonstrations can be risky, yes. They can be unpredictable, prone to technical problems and potentially embarrassing. However, they can also be engaging. »
This interaction not only demonstrated the technical capabilities of Metabut also added a human and humorous touch to the exchange. This reminds me of a conference I attended where a technology demonstration went wrong, causing general hilarity.
Partnerships with celebrities in complete transparency
Unlike some recent controversies in the voice AI space, Meta appears to have taken the lead in collaborating directly with the celebrities involved. We remember that, a few months ago, OpenAI attracted criticism by launching its “voice mode”, where one of the voices strangely resembled that of Scarlett Johansson, without her prior consent.
It is presumed that Meta uses the celebrities’ voices with their permission and that they are compensated accordingly. A source close to the matter indicated that the company would have offered contracts worth several million dollars to obtain the rights to use their voices and images.
According to information from Journal du Netthis practice could become a major trend as tech companies seek to further humanize their AI interfaces.
Other innovations presented during the event
In addition to this advance in AI chatbots, Meta has unveiled several others updates and products during the event. Among them are a prototype of glasses called “Orion”, a more affordable version of its Quest virtual reality headset, as well as AI-generated photo editing features and automatic language dubbing for videos.
These tools aim to make technology more accessible and immersive for the general public. While talking with a developer friend, he confided to me his enthusiasm for these innovations, particularly for the possibilities offered in terms of augmented reality.
Conclusion
With the addition of celebrity voices to its AI chatbots, Meta is taking the next step in personalization and user engagement with technology. This initiative, in addition to other announcements made during the event, shows the company’s desire to remain at the forefront of innovation while offering more human and interactive experiences.
To learn more about advances in artificial intelligence and their implications, you can read the reports from theOrganization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) or the publications of National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
