Meta Platforms recently launched its standalone AI app, marking a significant move to compete with the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT. The announcement was made at Meta's inaugural LlamaCon developer conference held in Menlo Park, California. This event also featured a conversation between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, focusing on the future of AI development and its impact on their respective companies and the world.
The Meta AI app is built upon the company's Llama 4 AI system and is designed to offer users a personalized and socially integrated AI experience. It leverages data from users' Facebook and Instagram accounts to provide more relevant and tailored responses. A key feature of the app is the "Discover" feed, which allows users to explore and share AI-generated prompts and see how others are interacting with the AI. The app supports text, voice, and image inputs, and includes a demo full duplex voice feature for a more natural voice experience. It will also merge with the Meta View companion app for RayBan Meta glasses. While the initial version doesn't have access to the web or real-time information, Meta aims to demystify AI and showcase its potential to users. A paid tier with additional features is planned for later in the year.
During LlamaCon 2025, Zuckerberg and Nadella engaged in a technical discussion about the rapid advancement of AI and its transformative potential. They explored how AI is already being used to write code within their organizations and its broader implications for productivity and society. Nadella noted that 20-30% of the code in Microsoft's repositories is now written by AI. Zuckerberg predicted that within the next year, AI could be responsible for as much as half of Meta's code development, with that percentage only increasing in the future. They also touched on the need for new metrics to evaluate AI progress, with Nadella suggesting considering AI's potential to boost GDP in the developing world.
Meta's approach to AI involves releasing it for free as an open-source product. The company reports that over a billion people are already using its AI products each month. To further promote AI adoption, Meta introduced the Llama API, designed to simplify the integration of Llama models into various software applications. Meta has invested heavily in AI, earmarking $65 billion for AI-related initiatives in 2025, including infrastructure expansion and model training.
The launch of the Meta AI app and the discussions at LlamaCon 2025 underscore Meta's commitment to advancing AI technology and integrating it into its ecosystem. By leveraging its vast user data and social media infrastructure, Meta aims to differentiate its AI offerings and create personalized and engaging experiences for its users.
