Sydney, Sept 28: On the 10th anniversary of Connect, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, and Founder of Meta, shared insights into how AI and metaverse technologies are reshaping our interactions with the physical and digital realms. He emphasized the need to seamlessly integrate these worlds, enabling users to engage without being tethered to screens.
Zuckerberg envisioned a future where a customizable home theater replaces the TV and friends gather around a table, regardless of physical distances, feeling fully present through avatars. This vision hinges on merging physical and virtual realms with the help of foundational technologies like mixed reality, AI-generated characters, and stylish augmented reality (AR) glasses.
Mixed Reality Takes Center Stage with Meta Quest 3 Meta Quest 3, the world’s first mainstream mixed reality headset, was unveiled as the most powerful standalone headset yet. With double the graphics processing power of its predecessor, Quest 2, it features the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, a collaborative effort with Qualcomm Technologies.
Quest 3’s standout feature is its complete independence from PCs or consoles, offering an uninterrupted sense of presence in your physical space.
This headset recognizes your environment, expanding the boundaries of your physical space and connecting you to a broader virtual world. Over 100 new and upgraded titles are set to launch on Quest 3, with backward compatibility granting access to a library of over 500 VR and mixed reality experiences. Additionally, Xbox Cloud Gaming will debut on Quest in December, allowing users to enjoy popular Xbox games on a portable 2D screen.
Quest 3 is priced starting at $799.99 AUD, with shipping commencing on October 10, and pre-orders already available.
Advances in Artificial Intelligence Meta aims to bring AI experiences to billions by integrating AI into widely-used applications. The Emu image generation model, part of the Expressive Media Universe (Llama ecosystem), allows users to create high-quality AI stickers for chats. Upcoming features like “restyle” and “backdrop” for Instagram will leverage Emu’s technology to transform photos and backgrounds, offering unique visual styles.
Meta is not pursuing a one-size-fits-all approach to AI but instead aims to offer specialized AIs for various purposes, including information retrieval, communication, entertainment, gaming, and productivity. The company introduced AI Studio, a platform for creating AIs, which will have profiles across Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and more.
Meta AI, one of these creations, functions as a personalized assistant powered by Llama 2 technology and real-time Bing search integration. Other AIs, such as Victor, the motivational coach, and Max, the sous chef, offer diverse interactions, with more AI personalities set to be introduced.
Developers will eventually be able to create third-party AIs for messaging services, and a sandbox will allow non-coders to create AIs. Businesses can also use AI to engage with customers and support commerce.
Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses Collection In partnership with EssilorLuxottica, Meta introduced the next generation of smart glasses designed for seamless connectivity and moment capture. These upgraded smart glasses allow users to livestream directly to Facebook and Instagram. They also come equipped with Meta AI, with plans to enhance real-time understanding of the user’s surroundings in the future.
Starting at $449 AUD, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses collection launches on Oct 17, with pre-orders available.
Meta’s focus remains on making these innovations accessible to millions, and the journey toward the future continues in collaboration with the developer community and users worldwide.
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