Meta Connect (25th Sept) recently showcased interesting updates to its suite of augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) products. We delved into Meta's latest advancements, exploring their potential impact on brands, agencies, and advertisers.
Building the Future of Social Interactions
Meta is heavily investing in AI and VR to revolutionise user interactions, to align with CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision, who was quoted as saying, “I just want to make sure that we can build the fundamental technology that we’re going to be building social experiences on.”
Industry leaders emphasise the importance of heavily investing in foundational AI technologies. In relation to AI, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, remarked in an investor call this year, “The risk of underinvesting is dramatically greater than the risk of overinvesting.”
The new Llama 3.2 model is multimodal and capable of processing different data types simultaneously. Unlike competitors who keep their models closed, Meta offers "quasi open-source" models, detailing architecture and weights, which allows for innovation among developers building GenAI applications.
Other AI features, such as automatic video dubbing and lip-syncing for Reels, aim to help content reach a wider global audience. AI-generated imaging features enable users to create AI selfies and chat themes, expanding personalisation on Facebook and Instagram.
AR capabilities have been enhanced with the upgraded Meta Quest AR/VR headset and the introduction of the Orion AR glasses prototype, signalling a shift towards more portable and aesthetically appealing devices for consumers.
New Ways to Connect Brands and Consumers
AR and VR are emerging technologies that can create new, immersive experiences for consumers with unique utility. Use cases range from virtual try-ons to visualising products (beauty/fashion), virtual tours and showrooms (travel, automotive, real estate), and product visualisation (furniture and appliances).
The advantages of consolidating investment within a wider-reaching Meta ecosystem for extended reality, full-funnel social activation, and the potential for closed-loop measurement shouldn’t be underestimated, with the potential to be a more attractive proposition for brands and marketers investing in social experiences. The Orion release hints at a future where glasses become the primary delivery mechanism for AR and VR experiences.
As for AI, the future may not necessarily lie in what Meta integrates directly into its apps now, but in the coming wave of GenAI apps built by external developers and marketers, meeting brand and advertiser demand for innovative ways to build relationships through personalisation and advanced decision-making.
Meta's investments in AR and AI signal a significant shift towards immersive and personalised consumer interactions. These technologies offer potential solutions to challenges across multiple touchpoints between brands and consumers.
