Meta, the company behind Instagram and Facebook, has revealed that Dame Judi Dench and John Cena will be the new voice options for its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.
Users will also have the option to get information from AI versions of celebrities like Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kristen Bell.
The announcement was made by Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, during the company’s annual Connect conference.
Zuckerberg expressed optimism about using voice for AI interactions, stating, “I think that voice is going to be a way more natural way of interacting with AI than text.”
Meta hopes this new venture will fare better than its previous attempt in September 2023, when it introduced AI chatbots modeled after celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Snoop Dogg. That initiative was discontinued within a year.
In addition to celebrity voices, Meta’s AI chatbot will now be able to identify objects in user photos and provide information about them. Users can also edit their images by giving the AI instructions on what changes they want.
Meta reported that more than 400 million people are using its AI monthly, with 185 million of them returning weekly.
Zuckerberg also introduced a working prototype of Meta’s augmented reality (AR) glasses, called Orion, which users can control using hand-tracking, voice commands, and a wrist-based interface.
Meta’s new entry-level Quest 3S mixed-reality headset was also revealed, with prices starting at $300 (Sh45,000).
Meta has invested heavily in AI, AR, and other technologies related to the metaverse, with plans to spend up to $40 billion on new projects this year.
Ahead of Meta’s announcements, the company’s stock reached a record high of $568.31.
However, Meta had to address a false viral post circulating on Facebook and Instagram, which claimed users needed to repost it to stop the company from using their content to train its AI tools.
Celebrities like James McAvoy and Tom Brady were among those who shared the hoax. Meta clarified that users could opt out by submitting a form in their privacy settings.
Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, has seen its stock value increase by more than 60% since the beginning of the year.
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