Meta unveils AI, VR, and AR innovations at Connect 2024

On Meta Connect day, the company announced a series of significant updates on its latest technological advancements. Highlights include new Quest VR headsets, augmented reality glasses, an updated Llama AI model, and enhanced generative AI features across its applications. With numerous developments to consider, here's a look at the announcements from the company's latest showcase.

Orion AR glasses

The company unveiled the Orion AR glasses, which are not yet consumer-ready but mark significant progress in AR development. The glasses feature a wrist control and a wireless battery pack, designed to integrate seamlessly into everyday life. While chunkier than regular glasses, they offer a large field of view and immersive experiences, though public release is still some time away.

Meta said, "While Orion won’t make its way into the hands of consumers, make no mistake, this is not a research prototype. It’s one of the most polished product prototypes we’ve ever developed, and is truly representative of something that could ship to consumers. Rather than rushing to put it on shelves, we decided to focus on internal development first, which means we can keep building quickly and continue to push the boundaries of the technology, helping us arrive at an even better consumer product faster."

Ray-Ban smart glasses upgrades

Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses received upgrades, including enhanced voice commands for smoother AI interactions. Users can now engage in conversations with Meta AI and send voice messages via the glasses.

The company said,"We’re adding video to Meta AI, so you can get continuous real time help. If you’re exploring a new city, you can ask Meta AI to tag along, and then ask it about landmarks you see as you walk or get ideas for what to see next creating your own walking tour hands free. Or, if you’re at the grocery store and trying to plan a meal, you can ask Meta AI to help you figure out what to make based on what you’re seeing as you walk down the aisles, and if that sauce you’re holding will pair well with that recipe it just suggested."

Quest 3S VR headset

The company introduced the Quest 3S, a more affordable version of its VR headset, priced at $299.99 USD. While offering the same core capabilities as the Quest 3, the 3S is intended to drive wider adoption of VR technologies. Additionally, the 512GB Meta Quest 3 headset saw a price reduction, further encouraging users to engage with VR hardware.

The company said, "From watching your favorite TV shows on a cinema-sized screen to your own personal trainer that you can take with you anywhere you go, plus multitasking capabilities, gaming and more, there’s no better mixed reality device on the market at this price."

Celebrity voices for Meta AI

Meta introduced celebrity voices for its AI chatbots, allowing users to engage with AI versions of well-known personalities like Dame Judi Dench and John Cena. The feature is available on platforms such as Messenger and Instagram, adding a novelty factor to AI interactions.

AI image context

The company's AI chatbot now incorporates visual understanding, allowing it to respond to image based queries and make edits to existing images. The system can generate backgrounds for Instagram Stories, offering more creative tools for users.

The company said, "Over the past year, we’ve introduced you to AI experiences that help you get things done, learn, create and connect with the things and people that matter to you. Since then, we’ve continued to build with safety and responsibility at the forefront. Meta AI is on track to become the most-used AI assistant in the world by the end of this year. More than 400 million people are using Meta AI monthly, with 185 million people using it across our products each week. Today at Connect, we introduced new multimodal features thanks to our Llama 3.2 models that make Meta AI and our other AI products more fun, useful and capable."

AI translations for reels

The company is testing AI-powered translations for Reels, enabling creators to reach global audiences. The tool will synchronise lip movements with translated audio, providing a more authentic viewing experience.

The company noted, "We’re starting with small tests on Instagram and Facebook, translating some creators’ videos from Latin America and the US in English and Spanish, and we plan to expand this to more creators and languages."

'Imagine' AI feature

The company expanded its 'Imagine' AI tool, which allows users to generate creative depictions of themselves within the app's post composer. New AI-generated chat themes and personalised content recommendations were also introduced.

The company said, "We’re testing new Meta AI-generated content in your Facebook and Instagram feeds, so you may see images from Meta AI created just for you (based on your interests or current trends). You can tap a suggested prompt to take that content in a new direction or swipe to Imagine new content in real time."

AI for business

Businesses will soon have access to advanced AI chatbot tools for customer engagement through WhatsApp and Messenger. These AI bots can handle queries, assist with purchases, and provide real-time customer service. 

The company said, "We’re expanding our business AIs to thousands of businesses using click-to-message ads on WhatsApp and Messenger in English, so they can quickly set up business AIs that can talk to their customers, offer support and facilitate commerce. From answering common customer questions to discussing products and finalizing a purchase, these business AIs can help businesses engage with more customers and increase sales. "

Meta also launched a new version of its Llama AI model, opening up opportunities for developers to leverage its capabilities for more advanced applications.