The Meta logo was spotted during the Vivatech event held in Paris, France, on June 14, 2023. (Photo: Thibault Camus/AP, File)
Meta has stepped into the AI spotlight with the launch of its first standalone artificial intelligence app, designed to compete directly with Chatgpt. Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday, this new app offers users a dedicated way to interact with Meta’s in-house AI, separate from its existing social media platforms.
In a video shared on Instagram, Zuckerberg highlighted that over a billion people already use Meta AI across the company's apps like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. With growing interest, the company decided it was time to build a separate app focused solely on AI interactions.
The new app, simply called Meta AI, acts as a personal assistant. Instead of typing out commands or prompts, users can speak directly to the AI. It is designed to respond to voice interactions and learn from each user’s preferences and habits. For now, it starts by picking up a few details about your interests. Over time, if you choose, the AI can understand more about your lifestyle and social connections by drawing on what it learns from your use of other Meta apps.
One of the more unique features of this app is its built-in social feed. Here, users can view posts generated by other people using the AI. This adds a layer of interaction that ties the app back to Meta’s social roots. Rather than just being a question-and-answer tool, the app offers a more community-driven experience.
In addition, the app takes over as the new companion for Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, previously supported by a separate app called Meta View. This update means users can have ongoing conversations with Meta AI, whether they're wearing the glasses, on their phones, or using their computers.
The move is clearly aimed at challenging OpenAI’s stronghold in the consumer AI space. ChatGPT has become one of the most well-known AI tools for everyday users, with regular updates that introduce new features and improvements. Meta’s standalone app is its boldest attempt yet to grab a bigger piece of that growing market.
While the app starts with a basic set of features, Meta plans to expand its abilities. Zuckerberg suggested that as the AI gets to know users better, it will be able to offer more personalized support—not just answering questions, but anticipating needs, assisting with tasks, and staying in tune with the user’s world.
With this launch, Meta is signaling that it’s serious about making artificial intelligence more than just a background feature. By giving it its own space, the company hopes to build a closer, more useful connection between people and AI.
