Meta Minds Its Own AI: Launches Standalone Assistant That Talks the Talk

Meta Platforms, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has launched its first standalone AI assistant app, Meta AI, currently available in the US and Canada for iOS and Android. Built on top of Meta's advanced Llama 4 large language model, the app gives personalized, contextually relevant answers by tapping users' Facebook and Instagram information to personalize interactions. Meta AI features a unique Discover feed by which users can publish and browse AI-generated prompts and answers, providing a social twist to AI usage. The app is both text and voice messaging chat-enabled, with an experimental full-duplex speech mode for even more conversational-like discussions. Integration with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses is also included, offering a seamless AI experience on devices. This launch marks Meta’s direct challenge to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Elon Musk’s Grok, as the company aims to expand its AI user base beyond the 700 million monthly active users it reported earlier this year. Meta plans to introduce paid subscriptions for advanced features later in 2025. Sources: Meta Newsroom, CNBC, TechCrunch, Reuters, The Verge