Hayes emphasized that over the next two years, a primary goal for Meta is to make its apps more interactive and entertaining. He also highlighted the social potential of integrating AI, offering users new ways to connect with the technology.
Virtual Reality Meets Social Media
Meta has been steadily incorporating AI features into its platforms, including the launch of its AI Studio earlier this year. This platform has already garnered attention as users experiment with creating virtual companions, such as AI boyfriends and girlfriends.
The AI Studio currently hosts hundreds of thousands of characters and is set to expand internationally. Notably, influencers on Instagram and Facebook are now able to create AI versions of themselves, allowing followers to engage with their virtual personas.
This mirrors developments on other platforms, such as SnapChat’s AI video generation tool, as tech companies compete to capture the younger audience demographic.
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Addressing Safety Concerns
The proliferation of AI-generated characters can also raise significant safety and ethical concerns. Critics point to risks of inappropriate content and misinformation, as evidenced by issues with other chatbot platforms like Character.AI, which struggled to enforce guardrails.
