Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a range of AI updates and new hardware at the annual Meta Connect event (Sep. 25-26), signaling a push into AI-powered content creation and augmented reality.

The company introduced Llama 3.2, its latest AI model capable of understanding both images and text. 

The company also previewed automatic video dubbing to translate content into users’ native languages on Instagram and Facebook.

Per a blog post, Meta AI, the company’s AI assistant, boasts over 400 million monthly active users and gains voice functionality, including celebrity voices such as John Cena and Dame Judi Dench.

For advertisers, Meta reports that over 1 million are using its generative AI tools for ad creation, with more than 15 million ads produced last month alone. The tech giant recently reported a 73% surge in Q2 profits, driven primarily by its core advertising business.

Llama 3.2 will be available globally, except in the European Union, due to regulatory concerns. Zuckerberg expressed optimism about resolving these issues.

Gartner analyst Nicole Greene commented on the potential benefits of these AI features for content creators and marketers, particularly in reaching new audiences. However, she also noted ongoing risks such as impersonation, disinformation, and data privacy concerns.

Updated Ray-Ban Glasses and Orion

Meta introduced an upgraded version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, featuring enhanced AI capabilities for object identification and content integrations with services like Spotify and Amazon Music.

On stage, Zuckerberg demonstrated real-time language translation through Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, showcasing a conversation with UFC fighter Brandon Moreno that translates between Spanish and English. 

In a surprise reveal, Zuckerberg debuted a prototype of Orion, Meta’s first “true AR” glasses. Unlike traditional displays, Orion uses light diffraction to create holographic projections in the user’s environment. No release date is set for the device.