Meta Connect 2024 brought exciting announcements spanning AI, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and next-gen hardware, with Mark Zuckerberg calling Llama, Meta's latest AI model, “the Linux of AI.” Let’s dive into the key takeaways.
Meta AI and Llama 3.2
Meta is making waves in AI with over 500 million active users interacting with Meta AI across platforms. The star of the AI announcements was Llama 3.2 an upgraded, multimodal version of their open-source large language model, featuring 11 billion and 90 billion parameters. This new iteration lets users edit photos using natural language commands and perform real-time image analysis. You can even talk to Meta AI via voice commands, which now include celebrity voices for a more engaging experience. Meta also introduced automatic dubbing for Reels, allowing users to dub content in Spanish or English with AI-driven voiceovers of their own voice, synced to lip movements.
Meta is also promoting AI Studio, a tool enabling users and developers to create their own AI characters, fostering creativity and customization. AI Studio may become a crucial tool for content creators and developers, offering a suite of options for building intelligent, personalized AI systems.
Smart Glasses with Ray-Ban
Meta’s collaboration with Ray-Ban took center stage with the introduction of several new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses features, with a wider range of transition lenses and more robust integration with Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, and other streaming services.
These glasses also feature an "always-on AI" mode, where the user can interact with multimodal video AI in real time, letting the AI “see” what you’re looking at and respond accordingly - a bold step forward for large multimodal models, and especially in a form factor like wearable glasses.
Orion: Full Holographic AR Glasses
Zuckerberg introduced Orion, a futuristic pair of holographic AR glasses that may redefine how we experience augmented reality. Featuring hand tracking, eye tracking, and even a neural interface, these glasses aim to seamlessly integrate AR into everyday life. A notable feature is the wrist-based neural interface, which detects subtle movements and intentions through neural signals, allowing for intuitive control of the AR environment.
Meta Quest 3S and Metaverse
Meta also announced the Meta Quest 3S, designed as a budget-friendly yet powerful version of the Quest series, optimized for mixed reality experiences with better immersion and realism. Powered by the Horizon OS, the device will support Meta’s vision of 3D, photorealistic 'hyperscapes' - virtual spaces designed to mimic reality.
Meta Connect 2024 outlined a bold vision for the future, blending AI, VR, and AR into seamless, everyday experiences. From powerful AI tools like Llama 3.2 and AI Studio, to popular wearables like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Orion AR glasses, Meta’s roadmap points toward a more integrated, immersive digital world.