In Short:
Meta Platforms is set to announce celebrity voices for its AI chatbot, featuring stars like Judi Dench, Kristen Bell, and John Cena. Users can choose from five celebrity voices plus standard options. This feature will launch in the U.S. and other English-speaking markets. The announcement will occur during Meta’s Connect conference, where they’ll also showcase new augmented-reality glasses.
🎙️ **Meta Platforms** Teams Up with Celebrities for New AI Voices
Exciting news is on the horizon! This week, **Meta Platforms**, the parent company of **Facebook**, is poised to reveal that they’ve signed some remarkable celebrity talent to voice their new AI chatbot. Among the stars lending their voices are the legendary **Judi Dench**, the charming **Kristen Bell**, and the ever-enthusiastic **John Cena**. A source close to the company shared this exciting tidbit with Reuters on Monday.
✨ Choose Your Voice!
The upcoming feature will allow users to pick from a selection of five celebrity voices for **Meta’s** ChatGPT-like digital assistant, alongside various generic options. Joining the star-studded lineup are the hilarious **Awkwafina** and the talented **Keegan-Michael Key**. It’s an innovative way to engage users and add a personal touch to their interactions with AI!
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars!
Fans and tech enthusiasts can expect the official announcement during Meta’s annual **Connect** conference, kicking off on Wednesday. It’s sure to be a landmark event packed with insights about the future of technology.
👓 A Glimpse Into the Future
But wait, there’s more! Alongside the new voice features, **Meta** is also set to unveil the first version of their augmented-reality glasses at this year’s conference. They’ll shed light on their plans for other innovative devices, such as the **Ray-Ban Meta** smart glasses, which made waves last year by being the first to incorporate an audio version of the Meta AI chatbot.
🌍 Launching Soon
The celebrity voices will start making their debut in the **U.S.** and other English-speaking countries this week, seamlessly rolling out across **Meta’s** family of apps, including **Facebook**, **Instagram**, and **WhatsApp**.
🎥 Lights, Camera, Action!
Earlier this summer, **Bloomberg** reported that **Meta** was in talks with various celebrities for their AI projects. Just last week, **Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg** shared a fun promotional video on Instagram, featuring **John Cena** along with other stars, showcasing a series of stunts decked out in **Ray-Ban Meta** glasses.
🤖 Competing in the AI Arena
In a rapidly evolving tech landscape, **Meta** is eager to roll out generative AI products to enhance the user experience for its billions of customers. With competition heating up against **OpenAI** (backed by **Microsoft**) and **Alphabet’s Google**, the pressure is on! The company is continually enriching its chatbot capabilities, making sure it’s a standout feature in app interactions.
⚠️ A Lesson from the Past
In May, **OpenAI** tried to introduce a similar audio feature; however, they faced controversy when **Scarlett Johansson** claimed that the AI sounded “eerily similar” to her voice—an issue that arose after she declined to participate in the project.
🖋️ The Evolution of Meta’s Assistant
Currently, **Meta’s** assistant can engage in text conversations and generate images based on user requests. Last year, they experimented with text-based “character” versions of the chatbot, inspired by celebrities such as **Paris Hilton** and **Snoop Dogg**, although those efforts didn’t quite resonate with users.
Shifting gears, **Meta** has now set its sights on an **AI Studio** product that empowers content creators on its platforms to develop chatbot versions of themselves, marking an exciting new chapter in the AI landscape!
