Meta Launches Standalone AI App, Leveraging User Data to Compete with ChatGPT

Meta Launches Standalone AI App to Compete with ChatGPT Following the integration of Meta AI into its existing platforms—WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger—Meta has unveiled a standalone AI app during its LlamaCon event on Tuesday. This new app is designed to compete directly with ChatGPT and other AI assistants by offering users a more personalized experience. What sets Meta’s AI app apart is its unique ability to draw on the extensive data users have already shared through Meta's platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. This data includes personal profiles, preferences, and social connections, allowing the app to generate more tailored responses. Initially, these personalized features will be available in the U.S. and Canada. For instance, users can inform the AI about specific dietary restrictions or personal interests, and the app will remember this information for future conversations. If you tell the app that you are lactose intolerant, it can avoid suggesting a wine and cheese tasting for your next vacation. However, users should be cautious about the data they share with the app. Meta is well-known for its data-driven targeted advertising, which forms a significant part of its revenue model. The more data users provide, the more effectively Meta can personalize ads, potentially raising privacy concerns. In addition to personalized responses, the app introduces a Discover feed where users can share their interactions with Meta AI. For example, a mockup image shows a user asking the AI to describe them using three emojis, which they then post to their friends. Users maintain control over what appears in the Discover feed and can choose to keep their interactions private. The Discover feed might amplify popular generative AI trends, such as the recent fad where people used AI to transform their photos into cartoon versions of themselves, inspired by films like Barbie or Studio Ghibli. However, the necessity of a social feature in every app remains debatable, as exemplified by Venmo, which operates successfully without one. Amanda Silberling, a senior writer at TechCrunch, covers the intersection of technology and culture. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She co-hosts the podcast "Wow If True" with science fiction author Isabel J. Kim, exploring trends and issues in internet culture. Before joining TechCrunch, Silberling held roles as a grassroots organizer, museum educator, and film festival coordinator. She earned her B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos. If you have any tips or information to share, you can reach Amanda Silberling through the encrypted messaging app Signal at (929) 593-0227. For all other correspondence, email amanda@techcrunch.com.