Meta’s Mission:
Meta’s mission is to build the future of human connection by creating products that help people feel closer to one another.

In-Person Event:
Mark Zuckerberg welcomes attendees to Meta’s Connect event in person and expresses excitement about sharing upcoming innovations, including Quest 3, new hardware, and AI experiences.

Focus on Human Connection:
Meta’s primary goal is to create products that strengthen relationships, enhance fun and learning, and bridge physical distances.

Products for Presence and Connection:
Meta’s products aim to make people feel present with others, regardless of their physical location.

Metaverse:
Zuckerberg believes that the future will involve a combination of the physical and digital worlds, creating a more coherent and immersive experience.

Holographic Integration:
Holograms will play a significant role, allowing users to interact with digital objects as seamlessly as with physical ones.

Avatars and AI:
People will interact with friends and colleagues as digital avatars and holograms in virtual meetings and social gatherings. AI entities, embodied as holograms, will assist users with various tasks.

Mixed Reality and AI Advancements:
Mixed reality enables users to bring digital objects into the physical world, enhancing our interaction with technology. Advancements in AI allow us to create diverse personas that help us accomplish different goals.

Smart Glasses:
Smart glasses will combine these technologies into a wearable form factor, allowing users to effortlessly access the metaverse throughout their day.

Accessibility:
Zuckerberg emphasizes the importance of making these technologies accessible to everyone, ensuring that they are not limited to the wealthy.

Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of Meta Quest 3, the first mainstream mixed reality headset, during a presentation. Quest 3 is a standalone headset that enables users to blend the physical and digital worlds, navigate with hand tracking, or use precision controllers. The headset has 10 times more pixels than Quest 2, allowing for accurate spatial mapping and interaction with virtual objects. It can display large virtual screens in physical rooms, enhancing social experiences and content viewing.

Xbox Cloud Gaming on Quest
Xbox Cloud Gaming will be available on Quest in December, allowing users to play hundreds of Xbox games, including Halo, Minecraft, and Elder Scrolls, on a massive screen anywhere.

Augments: Persistent Digital Objects
Meta is introducing “Augments,” persistent, spatially anchored digital objects that can interact with the physical environment. Users can place frames with photos and videos on walls, create digital workout portals, and more.

Immersive Content with Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Processor
Quest 3 features the next-generation Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Qualcomm processor, delivering twice the graphics performance. New pancake lenses and improved displays provide stunning visuals for immersive experiences. Upcoming titles like Asgard’s Wrath 2, Assassin’s Creed Nexus, and Roblox showcase the headset’s capabilities.

Live Sports and Horizon Content
Quest 3 will offer fully immersive NBA games for free, allowing users to experience courtside views from their homes. Fighting fans can watch LFA or Cage Warriors from UFC Fight Pass in 180-degree 4K resolution. New Horizon content includes Super Rumble and Citadel, providing social and interactive experiences with improved visuals.

Tools for Businesses
MetaQuest for Business will be launched next month, enabling organizations to adopt mixed reality at scale. Compatibility with Microsoft Intune, VMware Workspace ONE, and Avanti UEM is included. Microsoft 365, including productivity apps like Word and Excel, will also be available on Quest by the end of the year.

Quest 3:
Expected shipping date: August 10th Price: $499 Improvements over previous models: Better resolution and mixed reality Wireless and more portable Increased accessibility and affordability

AI advancements:
3D video generation from text prompts Sound generation from images VR object creation by looking at them Voice translation in real-time Open-source language model, Llama 2 EMU (Expressive Media Universe): Photorealistic image generation Fast generation speed (5 seconds per image) Integration with Meta apps (Chats, Instagram) Custom, never-before-seen stickers AI editing tools for Instagram: Image editing features (cowboy, sweater party, origami, cross-stitch) Launching in approximately a month

Meta’s view on AI development:
Not a single super intelligence but a variety of AIs for specific purposes People will create their own AIs for various goals Building a platform for creating AIs that can assist or entertain users

Interaction with AIs:
Cross-platform interaction in Meta’s products (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram Direct) AI profiles on Instagram and Facebook Embodiment as avatars for interaction in the metaverse

Meta AI:
Meta AI is a multi-functional assistant that can answer user queries and fulfill requests, primarily through messaging applications like WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram Direct, and soon, Quest 3. Meta AI utilizes the foundational model Llama 2 and real-time information accessed through Microsoft’s Bing Search to provide accurate and up-to-date responses.

Emu:
Emu, Meta’s image generation model, enables users to generate high-quality photorealistic images within chat conversations by simply tagging messages with “imagine.” This feature can be invoked in any chat, individual or group, by starting a message with “Meta AI.”

Specialized AIs:
Meta has developed more personalized and interactive AIs with diverse interests and personalities. These AIs include: Max, the sous chef, assists with recipe creation and problem-solving in cooking. Lily, the personal editor AI, helps with brainstorming, sharing writing tips, and text editing. Lorena, the travel companion AI, provides guidance on road trip planning, including recommendations for attractions and activities.

Embodiment and Entertainment:
Meta has partnered with notable figures to embody and play these AIs, making them relatable and engaging for users. Victor, played by Dwayne Wade, acts as a fitness coach, creating workout plans and providing motivation. Dylan, played by LoreDIY, specializes in costume creation, offering advice and solutions for various scenarios. Snoop Dogg embodies the Dungeon Master, facilitating text adventure games within chat conversations.

Expanding Potential:
Meta intends to develop more AIs covering a wide spectrum of interests, from gaming and fashion to philosophy and entertainment. Meta’s vision for these AIs extends beyond answering queries to include providing entertainment and enhancing user experiences through connections and goal achievement.

Zuckerberg Presents Live Demo of AI Voice Integration:
* Zuckerberg showcases an AI-powered live demo, demonstrating the integration of voice commands into the virtual experience.
* Participants engage with the AI, successfully navigating through a game-like scenario.

Meta Unveils Video Collaboration with Celebrities for AI Characters:
* Meta collaborates with renowned celebrities to create AI characters that users can interact with.
* The video introduces various celebrity AIs, each with unique backstories and personalities.

Meta’s AIs Offer Diverse Experiences and Practical Applications:
* The presented AIs cover a range of interests and skills, including sports, fashion, cooking, dancing, and gaming.
* These AIs can assist users with learning, exploring hobbies, settling debates, and simply having fun.

Zuckerberg Acknowledges Limitations and Ongoing Improvements:
* Zuckerberg acknowledges that the current AIs have limitations and lack access to real-time information.
* He emphasizes the ongoing efforts to refine and improve the AIs based on user feedback.

Unique Backstories and Evolving Interactions:
* Zuckerberg highlights the unique backstories and opinions of each AI, which will further evolve over time.
* He anticipates that users will enjoy witnessing the interactions between these diverse AI characters.

AI Studio Launch and Open API Integration:
Mark Zuckerberg introduces AI Studio, a platform for building custom AIs, with an open API for seamless integration into messaging apps. The platform will be accessible within weeks.

AI Sandbox for Non-Coders:
A sandbox is under development to empower non-programmers to train AIs without coding knowledge. Expected release in early 2023.

Metaverse Embodiment:
Zuckerberg highlights plans to bring AI capabilities to the Metaverse, allowing users to embody AIs as avatars. AIs can be implemented as NPCs in games and experiences created in Horizon worlds.

Business Applications:
Zuckerberg emphasizes the potential of AI for businesses, enabling them to engage with customers for commerce and support. A small-scale alpha launch with selected businesses is underway to refine the system before broader rollout.

Creator Opportunities:
The company aims to provide creators with AI tools to represent themselves, grow their communities, and foster engagement. Brand safety for creators is a priority, ensuring AI responses align with the brand’s voice and values. Expected availability in the first half of 2023.

Thoughtful Approach to Generative AI:
Zuckerberg acknowledges the potential and challenges of generative AI, highlighting the need for careful consideration. The company’s integrity teams have extensive experience in addressing similar challenges. The team is committed to anticipating and building safeguards into the system.

Safety and Responsibility Measures:
Models are trained and fine-tuned to adhere to safety and responsibility guidelines. Red teaming with experts and the use of guardrails to prevent inappropriate conversations. Transparency through the sharing of system cards for public review and feedback.

Gradual Rollout and Focus on Beneficial Impacts:
Zuckerberg emphasizes the importance of a gradual rollout to address issues as they arise before scaling. The company’s primary goal is to ensure that the technology enhances lives and amplifies social interactions.

Optimistic Outlook for Diverse Use Cases:
Zuckerberg expresses optimism about the transformative potential of AI across all Meta products, including feeds, chat, the Metaverse, and virtual/augmented reality. He anticipates significant changes in the way businesses and creators approach these platforms.

Introduction:
Mark Zuckerberg presented the next generation of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, emphasizing their integration with Meta AI and their potential as a future computing platform.

Enhanced Features:
Improved cameras for clearer images and videos. Better audio for music, podcasts, and calls. Lighter and more comfortable design with a variety of styles.

Meta AI Integration:
Hands-free interaction with Meta AI for real-time information and assistance. Access to state-of-the-art AI capabilities, initially through audio and text.

Multimodal Capabilities:
Future software update will enable multimodal interaction. Glasses will understand what the wearer is looking at when asking questions. Translation of signs, step-by-step guides, and more.

Importance of Smart Glasses:
Natural way to integrate holograms into the physical world. Ideal form factor for AI assistants to see and hear what the wearer does. AI capabilities crucial for the widespread adoption of smart glasses.

Live Streaming:
New feature allows users to live stream to friends and followers directly from the glasses. Collaboration with Rocco, head of wearables at EssilorLuxottica, partner in creating the glasses.

Zuckerberg’s Introduction:
Emphasizes the importance of sharing experiences in real-time while staying engaged. Highlights the launch of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses on October 17th, starting at $299.

Quest 3:
Unveils Quest 3, the first mainstream mixed reality headset. Describes it as the most powerful headset Meta has ever shipped.

AI Studio:
Introduces AI Studio, allowing users to interact with and build their own AI for various tasks. Envisions AI as a tool for assistance, entertainment, and engaging interaction.

Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses:
Presents the next generation of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with improved camera and audio. Highlights the integration of Meta AI, making it the first smart glasses with built-in AI capabilities.

Weaving the Physical and Digital Worlds:
Zuckerberg reiterates the challenge of integrating the physical and digital worlds seamlessly. Emphasizes mixed reality, AI personas, and smart glasses as building blocks for this integration.

Focus on Accessibility:
Stresses the importance of affordability and accessibility in technological advancements. Highlights Meta’s commitment to making innovations accessible to everyone.

User Creativity and Engagement:
Expresses excitement about users exploring the possibilities of these new technologies. Recognizes the role of user creativity and energy in shaping the future of these products.

Gratitude and Acknowledgements:
Expresses gratitude to the attendees of Meta Connect. Hands over the stage to Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Boz.

—Meta plans to bring futuristic technologies like mixed reality, artificial intelligence, and smart glasses to the mass market in an unprecedented way.

Quest 3: The Beginning of the Next Wave:
—Quest 3 marks the start of a new era, blending the physical and digital realms with mixed reality capabilities.

Mixed Reality:
—Quest 3 offers the best of both worlds, allowing users to immerse themselves in VR experiences or see their surroundings augmented with digital objects.

Enhanced Pass-through:
—Improved resolution, color accuracy, reduced distortions, and latency enhance the full-color pass-through experience.

Automatic Setup:
—No more manual boundary setup; Quest 3 automatically understands and maps your surroundings.

Augmented Reality Experiences:
—Customize your space with interactive augments, place trophies, artifacts, and music players in your living room.

Powerful Performance:
—Quest 3 features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, enabling unparalleled graphics and gameplay.

Standalone Headset:
—No wires, battery packs, or consoles needed; Quest 3 offers a complete experience without external connections.

Improved Display and Optics:
—A new display system and pancake lenses deliver a 30% increase in resolution and a slimmer profile.

Ergonomic Controller Design:
—The new controller eliminates the tracking ring for a more natural and comfortable grip.

Hand Tracking:
—Interact with Quest 3 using hand tracking and a new direct touch system, just like a touchscreen.

Content for Quest 3:
—Over 100 new and upgraded titles coming to Quest 3, with more than half showcasing mixed reality features.

Quest Library:
—The entire Quest library is accessible on Quest 3, looking and playing better with next-generation hardware.

Meta Quest 3 Release:
Meta Quest 3 buyers will receive Asgard’s Wrath 2 for free. Quest 3 will feature: Assassin’s Creed, Ghostbusters, Stranger Things VR, and Sega’s Samba de Amigo. Roblox will enable VR experience creation, publishing, and distribution.

Quest Plus:
Quest Plus, a subscription service, will provide two hand-picked games from the expanding Quest library per month. October subscribers will access Onward and Little Cities. Quest 3’s 512GB model comes with a free six-month Quest Plus subscription.

Horizon Worlds:
Horizon Worlds supports improved experiences like Super Rumble and Citadel. Social connectivity is enhanced with features like joining friends and jumping into worlds. Avatars offer a broader range of body types, makeup, hair colors, and more. Horizon Worlds’ availability on web and mobile improves social interactions.

Fitness and Wellness:
Les Mills Body Combat transforms the home into a virtual gym. Supernatural’s resolution makes workouts in environments like the Galapagos Islands more realistic. Supernatural’s monthly subscription cost is now $9.99. Zumba classes will be introduced to VR through FedExR. Headspace offers immersive wellness experiences using VR.

Entertainment:
Quest 3 serves as a home theater for immersive experiences on XStadium, YouTube VR, and streaming apps. Multi-game mode in XStadium enables multiple NBA game viewing. Collaboration with Wallace and Gromit and front-row music concerts are available.

Business Applications:
Quest offers work applications like Adobe Substance 3D Modeler. Microsoft Mesh for Teams is entering public preview for immersive employee experiences. Microsoft 365 productivity apps will be accessible later this year. Windows 365 will allow secure streaming of Windows experiences to Quest devices. Meta Quest for Business is launching next month, providing management tools and enterprise support. Enterprise-grade consumer support is included in Meta Quest for Business.

Developer Appreciation:
Meta values the developer community for shaping Quest’s immersive experiences. Meta is committed to strengthening its relationship with developers. Meta is ready for the next wave of innovation in the VR industry alongside developers.

Redesign and Innovations:
Introduction of the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, a revamped version of the original Ray-Ban Stories glasses. Reimagined design with improved comfort, lighter weight, and better weight distribution. Sleek and stylish frames, including the iconic Ray-Ban Matter Wayfarer and the new Ray-Ban Matter Headliner. Transparent frame options in caramel, jeans, and rebel black for a unique and modern look. Customizable lenses and frames with over 150 combinations through the Ray-Ban Remix platform.

Enhanced Photography:
Upgraded camera system with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens for capturing stunning photos and 1080p videos. Enhanced computational photography with a powerful processor, resulting in better image processing, video stabilization, and faster performance. Increased memory capacity of 32GB, allowing users to store over 100 videos and 500 photos on the device.

Immersive Audio Experience:
Enhanced audio recording with five strategically placed microphones for capturing immersive sound during video recording. Crystal-clear voice calls even in noisy environments, thanks to the upgraded microphone array. Redesigned custom speakers with 50% higher max volume, doubled bass, and improved directional audio to reduce sound leakage.

Live-streaming Integration:
Introduction of live-streaming capabilities for the first time on smart glasses. Seamless integration with Instagram and Facebook, allowing users to live-stream their experiences directly from their glasses. Easy switching between the phone’s camera and the glasses’ camera during live streams. Real-time feedback on viewer count and the latest comments for an engaging live-streaming experience.

User-Friendly Features:
Simplified photo-sharing with voice commands, enabling users to send photos to contacts without using their phone. Hands-free calling experience with clear voice transmission even in challenging audio environments. Improved charging case, 32% lighter and more compact, providing up to eight additional charges for extended usage.

New Features:
Meta smart glasses will be the first device with Meta AI built-in, offering creative assistance, inspiration, and useful information hands-free. Real-time search capabilities will provide up-to-date information on restaurants, hotels, points of interest, and news. The glasses will enable users to show MetaAI things using the camera for identification and information retrieval.

Meta AI Capabilities:
Meta AI can generate funny captions for Instagram posts, such as for videos of pets. It can suggest short hikes with gorgeous views in Sedona, Arizona, based on user preferences. Meta AI can identify landmarks and provide information about them, such as the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona.

Improved Features:
The new smart glasses have better tech and new features, but the price remains at $299. They can be pre-ordered now and will hit retail stores in 15 countries on October 17. The glasses come with an improved camera for real-time search and object identification. They can make phone calls, send photos on WhatsApp, recommend mocktail pairings for meals, and record videos.

Llama 2 Success and Partnerships:
Meta released Llama 2 as an open-source model for innovation and collaboration. It has received immense interest and downloads reaching over 30 million with 10 million in the last 30 days alone. Industry partners like IBM, CloudFlare, and Google Cloud have joined Llama’s adoption. Amazon Web Services becomes the first managed API partner for Llama 2, making it easily accessible through just an API key.

Conversational AIs and Responsible Development:
Meta AI conversational AIs strive for engaging and human-like interactions. Natural conversation datasets, extended model context, and optimized output length contribute to their conversational proficiency. The AI Studio platform facilitates safe and responsible AI development. Ethical considerations include responsible use guidelines, input and output safety layers, continuous red teaming, and system cards for transparency.

Meta AI with Web Search and Image Generation:
Meta AI serves as an orchestrator integrating with other software services. Web Search integration allows Meta AI to tap into Bing for up-to-date information and responses. Image generation model Emu is incorporated into Meta AI for creating high-resolution images within five seconds.

AI Stickers, Media Editing Tools, and Character Development:
AI stickers leverage language and image generation, improving their style, diversity, and quality. They are generated in just three seconds, offering multiple options for instant sharing. AI media editing tools like Restyle and Backdrop offer creative photo enhancements. Restyle transforms photos with user-defined words or phrases, creating unique filters. Backdrop reimagines backgrounds with a single tap, using the popular Segment Anything model.

Building a Multimodal Experience:
Multimodality is essential for bringing AI experiences to life. Real human videos are used to represent AIs, using generative techniques for a seamless experience. Seamless orchestration combines chats and visual elements. Careful prompt engineering ensures that each character maintains their distinct personality and tone.

AI Studio and Future Growth:
The AI Studio platform is designed to support the growth of Meta’s AI endeavors. Collaborative efforts involving internal and external experts helped establish the initial set of AIs. Diverse characters cater to various interests, including travel, gaming, advice, and casual conversations.

AI Studio:
AI Studio is a comprehensive platform that enables responsible AI development, testing, and deployment. It serves as the foundation for an upcoming sandbox where users can collaborate and share custom-built AIs.

Metaverse and AI:
AI plays a vital role in shaping the metaverse by enhancing realism, embodiment, and connectivity. Metaverse experiences span various modalities, form factors, and applications that were once considered science fiction.

Future Innovation:
3D content creation: AI models for text, image, and video generation will extend into 3D, allowing for the creation of new objects, characters, and worlds in the metaverse. Immersive experiences: The convergence of AI, mixed reality, and smart glasses will create immersive experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds.

Smart Glasses:
Meta’s smart glasses combine the digital and physical worlds by integrating essential digital functions with physical presence. They aim to eliminate the need to choose between staying connected and being present.

Meta’s Vision:
Meta emphasizes accessibility as a key principle in its innovation approach, ensuring that new technologies are available to a wide audience. The company’s progress in Avatars, Horizon, and smart glasses contributes to its vision of a metaverse that seamlessly blends the physical and digital realms.