Meta Releases Llama 3, Catches Up to OpenAI in AI Race

Meta upped its AI game with the rollout of Llama 3, an advanced AI model now powering a more intelligent, faster, and globally available Meta AI assistant. Announced on April 18, 2024, the latest updates promise a smarter, more creative assistant integrated across Meta’s popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

“Thanks to our latest advances with Meta Llama 3, we believe Meta AI is now the most intelligent AI assistant you can use for free – and it’s available in more countries across our apps to help you plan dinner based on what’s in your fridge, study for your test, and so much more,” Meta stated in their official announcement.

Meta AI now also supports real-time image generation. This feature can be used for generating album artwork, decorating ideas, or creating animated GIFs, and they’re created much faster than with ChatGPT’s DALL-E 3 integration, for example.

“You’ll see an image appear as you start typing — and it’ll change with every few letters typed, so you can watch as Meta AI brings your vision to life,” the announcement described.

Meta AI is also capable of recommending restaurants, finding concerts, or assisting with schoolwork directly without needing to switch apps or contexts. This integration extends to Meta’s web platform, meta.ai, where users can log in to track their interactions with the AI.

Meta’s AI assistant was introduced last September and has only now fully integrated into Meta’s full ecosystem, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger. It is directly accessible through search boxes and feeds.

Wired highlighted the competitive edge Llama 3 offers, noting its cost-efficiency and openness which could challenge existing AI models like GPT-4.

Forbes pointed out that Meta’s release of Llama 3 might lead to a market dominated by a few key players in consumer-facing AI technologies. By making Llama 3 open-source, Meta positions itself as a significant contender, potentially outpacing smaller competitors who lack the resources to develop such advanced AI tools.

Meta AI is rolling out in English in more than a dozen countries outside the US, such as Australia, Canada, and South Africa, with more regions and languages to be added soon. This global expansion is part of Meta’s broader strategy to make advanced AI tools more accessible and valuable on a worldwide scale.