Meta, the owner of Instagram, has announced that Dame Judi Dench and John Cena will be the new voice options for its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. In addition to these famous voices, users will also have the option to interact with AI versions of Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kristen Bell.
This move comes after Meta’s previous attempt at celebrity chatbots, which featured personalities like Kendall Jenner and Snoop Dogg, was pulled less than a year after its debut in September 2023. The company’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, revealed the new celebrity chatbots during Meta’s annual Connect conference.
Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of voice interaction with AI, stating, “I think that voice is going to be a way more natural way of interacting with AI than text.” The updated chatbot will also have new features, such as the ability to recognize objects in photos and provide information about them, as well as an image editing feature that allows users to alter photos by giving commands to the AI.
In addition to the chatbot updates, Meta unveiled its first working prototype of augmented-reality (AR) glasses called Orion. Users will be able to interact with the glasses through hand-tracking, voice commands, and a wrist-based interface. The company also announced a new entry-level version of its Quest line of mixed-reality headsets, with prices starting at $300.
Meta has been investing heavily in AI, AR, and other metaverse technologies, with plans to spend up to $40 billion on new projects this year. The company’s stock market value has risen by more than 60% since the start of the year, reaching a record high ahead of the annual showcase.
However, leading up to the event, thousands of Facebook and Instagram users, including celebrities like James McAvoy and Tom Brady, fell for a hoax claiming that their content would be used by Meta to train its AI tools unless they reposted a Stories post. A Meta spokesperson clarified that users can object to having their content used by submitting a form through notifications or the privacy center in account settings.
