At Connect, Zuckerberg unveiled progress on three key fronts:
- Mixed Reality Goes Mainstream with Meta Quest 3: Meta Quest 3 takes mixed reality to new heights, boasting double the graphics processing power of its predecessor, Quest 2. It also introduces the cutting-edge Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, developed in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies. Quest 3 is a standalone device, eliminating the need for PCs, consoles, or battery packs, ensuring an uninterrupted sense of presence. With Quest 3, users can explore a vast content library, with over 100 new titles set to launch this year. Its backward compatibility offers access to a library of 500+ VR and MR experiences from day one. Additionally, Xbox Cloud Gaming will arrive on Quest in December, enabling users to play popular Xbox games on a portable 2D screen.
- Advances in Artificial Intelligence: Meta showcased its strides in AI, including the Emu (Expressive Media Universe) image generation model. Emu creates photorealistic images from text prompts in seconds, enhancing chat conversations with custom AI stickers. Instagram will soon introduce “restyle” and “backdrop” features, leveraging Emu’s technology. Restyle transforms images with user-defined visual styles, while backdrop modifies image scenes. To ensure transparency, AI-generated content will include markers distinguishing it from human-generated content. Meta is working on a diverse range of AI personalities and capabilities, allowing users to interact with AI characters across various contexts.
- AI Studio and Meta AI: Meta is introducing AI Studio, a platform for creating AIs that enhance productivity and entertainment. These AIs will be integrated across Meta’s product suite, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and the metaverse. Meta AI, one such creation, serves as a personal assistant with real-time information access through Bing search. With the inclusion of Emu, users can generate high-quality images instantaneously. Meta plans to empower developers to build third-party AIs for messaging services, enable non-coders to create AIs, and support businesses in creating AIs for customer interactions.
