Meta

Meta’s new strategy: AI-powered gaming experiences

Meta is set to integrate more generative AI technology into its virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality games, aiming to boost its struggling metaverse strategy. According to a recent job listing, the company plans to create new gaming experiences that change with each playthrough and follow unpredictable paths. The initiative will initially focus on Horizon, Meta’s suite of metaverse games and applications, but could extend to other platforms like smartphones and PCs.

These developments are part of Meta’s broader effort to enhance its metaverse offerings and address the financial challenges faced by Reality Labs, the division responsible for its metaverse projects. Despite selling millions of Quest headsets, Meta has struggled to attract users to its Horizon platform and mitigate substantial operating losses. Recently, the company began allowing third-party manufacturers to license Quest software features and increased investment in metaverse gaming, spurred by CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s growing interest in the field.

Meta’s interest in generative AI is not new. In 2022, Zuckerberg demonstrated a prototype called Builder Bot, which allows users to create virtual worlds with simple prompts. Additionally, Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, has highlighted the potential of generative AI tools to democratise content creation within the metaverse, likening their impact to that of Instagram on personal content creation.

Generative AI is already making waves in game development, with companies like Disney-backed Inworld using the technology to enhance game dialogues and narratives. While some game creators are concerned about the impact on their jobs, Meta is committed to significant investments in generative AI, even though CEO Zuckerberg cautioned that it might take years for these investments to become profitable.

Brazil halts Meta’s new privacy policy for AI training, citing serious privacy risks

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) has taken immediate action to halt the implementation of Meta’s new privacy policy concerning the use of personal data to train generative AI systems within the country.

The ANPD’s precautionary measure, announced in Brazil’s official gazette, suspends the processing of personal data across all Meta products, extending to individuals who are not users of the tech company’s platforms. The regulatory body, operating under Brazil’s Justice Ministry, has imposed a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,836.58) for any directive violations.

The decision by the ANPD was motivated by the perceived ‘imminent risk of serious and irreparable or difficult-to-repair damage to the fundamental rights of affected individuals.’ As a result, Meta is mandated to revise its privacy policy to eliminate the segment related to the processing of personal data for generative AI training. Additionally, Meta must issue an official statement confirming the suspension of personal data processing for this purpose.

In response to the ANPD’s ruling, Meta expressed disappointment, characterising the move as a setback for innovation and predicting a delay in delivering AI benefits to the Brazilian population. Meta defended its practices by pointing to its transparency policy compared to other industry players who have used public content for training models and products. The company asserted that its approach aligns with Brazil’s privacy laws and regulations.

Meta lifts ban on ‘Shaheed’ after review

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced it would lift its blanket ban on the word ‘shaheed’ (which means ‘martyr’ in English). The move follows a year-long review by Meta’s independent oversight board, which concluded that the company’s approach to the word was overly broad.

Meta faced strong criticism for its content policies, particularly regarding the Middle East. A 2021 study commissioned by Meta Platforms highlighted the adverse human rights impact on Palestinians and other Arabic-speaking users. Criticisms intensified with the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in October.

Why does it matter?

The review revealed that Meta’s policy on the word ‘shaheed’ did not consider its various meanings, often resulting in the removal of non-violent content. Meta acknowledged these findings and adjusted its approach, removing content only when ‘shaheed’ is paired with otherwise violating content. The oversight board welcomed this change, noting that the previous policy had led to widespread censorship across Meta’s platforms.

Meta responds to photo tagging issues with new AI labels

Meta has announced a significant update regarding using AI labels across its platforms, replacing the ‘Made with AI’ tag with ‘AI info’. This change comes after widespread complaints about the incorrect tagging of photos. For instance, a historical photograph captured on film four decades ago was mistakenly labelled AI-generated when uploaded with basic editing tools like Adobe’s cropping feature.

Kate McLaughlin, a spokesperson for Meta, emphasised that the company is continuously refining its AI products and collaborating closely with industry partners on AI labelling standards. The new ‘AI info’ label aims to clarify that content may have been modified with AI tools rather than solely created by AI.

The issue primarily stems from how metadata tools like Adobe Photoshop apply information to images, which platforms interpret. Following the expansion of its AI content labelling policies, daily photos shared on Meta’s platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, were erroneously tagged as ‘Made with AI’.

Initially, the updated labelling will roll out on mobile apps before extending to web platforms. Clicking on the ‘AI info’ tag will display a message similar to the previous label, explaining why it was applied and acknowledging the use of AI-powered editing tools like Generative Fill. Despite advancements in metadata tagging technology like C2PA, distinguishing between AI-generated and authentic images remains a work in progress.

Tech giants clash over California AI legislation

California lawmakers are poised to vote on groundbreaking legislation aimed at regulating AI to prevent potential catastrophic risks, such as manipulating the state’s electric grid or aiding in the creation of chemical weapons. Spearheaded by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill targets AI systems with immense computing power, setting safety standards that apply only to models costing over $100 million to train.

Tech giants like Meta (Facebook) and Google strongly oppose the bill, arguing that it unfairly targets developers rather than those who misuse AI for harmful purposes. They contend that such regulations could stifle innovation and drive tech companies away from California, potentially fracturing the regulatory landscape.

While highlighting California’s role as a leader in AI adoption, Governor Gavin Newsom has not publicly endorsed the bill. His administration is concurrently exploring rules to combat AI discrimination in employment and housing, underscoring the dual challenges of promoting AI innovation while safeguarding against its misuse.

The proposed legislation has garnered support from prominent AI researchers and would establish a new state agency to oversee AI development practices and enforce compliance. Proponents argue that California must act swiftly to avoid repeating past regulatory oversights in the social media sector, despite concerns over regulatory overreach and its potential economic impact.

Chance the Rapper teams up with Meta for AI-driven creativity

Grammy Award-winning musician and producer Chance the Rapper is known for his innovative approach to music and fashion. Recently, he has teamed up with Meta for their Super Fan event, showcasing his interest in cutting-edge technology, particularly Meta AI. The collaboration highlights how AI transforms various aspects of his work, from engaging fans to creating music and fashion.

Chance has long been a pioneer in using digital platforms to connect with fans and distribute his music. With the advent of AI, he is now pushing the boundaries of creativity even further. He likens AI to the patchwork denim look he sported at the Meta event, describing it as an amalgamation of different design patterns. The comparison underscores his view of AI as a tool for combining diverse elements to create something unique.

The Meta AI suite, integrated into platforms like Instagram and Facebook, allows Chance to explore new artistic directions. He uses these tools to experiment with music production, generate unique soundscapes, and refine his musical style. Chance also finds inspiration on Instagram, drawing from various topics and incorporating these influences into his work.

Additionally, Chance sees potential in Meta’s new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which offer responsive tech for human engagement and photography. By leveraging AI tools, he enhances his artistic process, engages more effectively with fans, and supports initiatives like the growth of women’s sports. As he prepares to release his new project, ‘Star Line Gallery,’ Chance the Rapper continues to inspire and innovate in the realms of music and fashion.

Meta faces EU charges on user privacy tech rules

The EU antitrust regulators have charged Meta Platforms with violating landmark tech rules through its new ‘pay or consent’ advertising model for Facebook and Instagram. The model, introduced last November, offers users a choice between a free, ad-supported service with tracking or a paid, ad-free service. The European Commission argues this binary choice breaches the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by forcing users to consent to data tracking without providing a less personalised but equivalent alternative.

Meta asserts that its model complies with a ruling from EU’s top court and is aligned with the DMA, expressing a willingness to engage with the Commission to resolve the issue. However, if found guilty, Meta could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual turnover. The Commission aims to conclude its investigation by March next year.

The charge follows a recent DMA-related charge against Apple for similar non-compliance, highlighting the EU’s efforts to regulate Big Tech and empower users to control their data.

Zuckerberg critiques closed-source AI development

In a recent interview, Mark Zuckerberg positioned Meta as a leading advocate for open-source AI, critiquing competitors for their closed-source approaches. Speaking on the YouTube channel Kallaway, Zuckerberg expressed his belief that individual companies should not monopolise AI technology to create singular products. Instead, he envisions a future with diverse AI options, supported by open-source principles.

Zuckerberg highlighted Meta’s commitment to open-source AI, emphasising the importance of empowering developers and users to contribute to and innovate within the AI ecosystem. However, some experts question Meta’s open-source claims. Amanda Brock, CEO of OpenUK, argued that Meta’s Llama model is only partially open-source due to certain commercial stipulations. Similarly, Gartner analyst Arun Chandrasekaran noted Meta’s competitive constraints that limit the openness of its models.

Meta is not alone in promoting open-source AI. French startup Mistral AI and Databricks have also made strides in this area, though their offerings include restrictions. The Linux Foundation has announced the Open Platform for Enterprise AI (OPEA) to standardise open-source definitions in AI, reflecting a broader industry movement towards clarity and true openness in AI development.

Instagram tests AI for creator interactions

Instagram is trialling a new feature called ‘AI Studio’, allowing creators to develop AI versions of themselves. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently revealed on his broadcast channel that the feature is undergoing an initial test phase with selected creators and users in the United States.

Zuckerberg highlighted that AI avatars from popular creators and interest-based AI models will soon appear in Instagram messaging. These AI entities are initially designed to interact within messaging threads and will be clearly marked as AI-generated.

During the broadcast, Zuckerberg demonstrated early examples featuring AI-powered chatbots developed in collaboration with creators such as the team behind the meme account ‘Wasted’ and Don Allen Stevenson III. These chatbots aim to assist creators by engaging with their followers and responding to messages on their behalf.

Creators on Instagram can initiate interactions by tapping the ‘Message’ button, prompting users to acknowledge that the responses may be AI-generated and potentially not entirely accurate or appropriate. Each AI-generated message will be prefaced with ‘AI’ and marked with a ‘beta’ tag, indicating ongoing development and testing.

Meta’s launch of AI Studio last year enabled businesses to create AI chatbots for platforms like Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram. The initiative reflects Meta’s ongoing efforts to integrate advanced AI technologies into its social media platforms, enhancing user engagement and interaction capabilities.

Why does it matter?

The IATSE’s tentative agreement represents a significant step forward in securing fair wages and job protections for Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers, ensuring that the rapid advancements in technology do not come at the expense of human employment.

OpenAI acquires Rockset to boost data processing and AI capabilities

OpenAI has made a pivotal advancement in the AI sector by acquiring Rockset, known for its search and analytical database technology. The acquisition is a strategic move to elevate OpenAI’s data processing and utilisation capabilities.

By integrating Rockset’s advanced infrastructure into its product suite, OpenAI aims to significantly enhance its AI tools, making data retrieval more precise and actionable. Founded in 2016 by former Meta engineers, Rockset excels in cloud-based data management, including real-time streaming data ingestion and sophisticated querying for time series, geospatial, and vector data.

Notably, its recent Approximate Nearest Neighbour (ANN) search upgrade boosts AI efficiency through rapid similarity searches across large datasets. With an acquisition valued at several hundred million dollars, OpenAI seeks to address business challenges in data integration with AI systems, thereby improving the accuracy and utility of its offerings, such as ChatGPT.

Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s COO, highlighted customer benefits, emphasising Rockset’s ability to turn data into actionable insights. He reassured existing Rockset clients of a smooth transition, ensuring service continuity during the integration.

A strategic move like this underscores OpenAI’s dedication to enhancing AI accessibility and functionality, promising significant improvements in data-driven AI applications.