Meta is set to elevate its AI assistant game by recruiting high-profile celebrities such as Awkwafina, Judi Dench, and Keegan-Michael Key to lend their voices to its new digital assistant, MetaAI. According to Bloomberg, the tech giant is racing to finalize deals with these stars and other influencers to showcase their voices at the upcoming Meta Connect conference in September.
The new AI assistant, MetaAI, will reportedly feature a range of celebrity voices, integrating seamlessly across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. The company is negotiating with top Hollywood talent agencies to secure these voices, potentially offering millions of dollars in compensation. This move mirrors Meta’s previous strategy with its now-discontinued AI chatbots, which also featured celebrity voices.
Contracts for the celebrity voices are expected to be temporary, with the option for actors to renew their agreements if desired. Meta aims to enhance the user experience with these personalized AI assistants, hoping to provide a more engaging and authentic interaction compared to previous iterations.
While this approach echoes past efforts by companies like Waze, which offered celebrity voice directions, Meta’s focus on integrating these voices into a broader AI experience may set it apart. Generative AI advancements have improved the ability to mimic human voices, making the integration of celebrities like Awkwafina and Dench potentially more compelling than earlier novelty applications.
Meta has not yet commented on the specifics of these agreements or the functionality of the new AI assistants.
To stay updated on this development and the upcoming Meta Connect conference, visit The Verge.