Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook, is set to unveil a new artificial intelligence chatbot featuring the voices of well-known celebrities at its upcoming Connect conference, according to a Reuters report citing an anonymous source familiar with the company’s plans. The star-studded lineup is said to include actors John Cena, Judi Dench, Kristen Bell, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key.
This move by Meta appears to be a carefully considered step into the realm of celebrity-voiced AI, likely informed by the recent
controversy surrounding OpenAI’s similar endeavor. Earlier this year, OpenAI faced significant backlash after launching a chatbot named Sky, which featured a voice strikingly similar to that of actress Scarlett Johansson. The “Her” star reportedly declined multiple invitations to participate in the project and subsequently sought legal
representation following the bot’s release. In response to the ensuing controversy, OpenAI ultimately removed the voice option.
Meta’s approach, by contrast, seems to involve direct partnerships with the celebrities whose voices will be featured. According to a report by Fortune last month, the company is investing millions of dollars to secure the rights to use these stars’ voices in AI projects. This strategy may help Meta avoid the legal and ethical pitfalls encountered by OpenAI.
The integration of celebrity voices into AI applications is not entirely new. Navigation app Waze, for instance, has long offered users the option to have their directions read by famous voices such as Morgan Freeman and Jay Leno. However, Meta’s chatbot represents a significant advancement in this trend, potentially allowing users to interact more dynamically with AI personas voiced by their favorite stars.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already begun teasing the upcoming release. In a recent Instagram post, he shared a video featuring John Cena participating in a “stunt test” for Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, which are also expected to be showcased at the Connect conference.
While the commercial and critical reception of Meta’s celebrity-voiced chatbot remains to be seen, the company’s approach demonstrates a keen awareness of the potential pitfalls in this emerging field. By securing explicit partnerships and rights to use celebrity voices, Meta appears to be taking steps to navigate the complex landscape of AI and intellectual property rights more cautiously than some of its competitors.
The use of familiar voices in AI applications raises intriguing possibilities for user engagement and personalization. However, it also prompts important questions about the nature of celebrity likeness rights in the digital age and the potential for AI to blur the lines between human and machine interaction.
As AI technology continues to advance, the integration of celebrity personalities into digital assistants and chatbots may become increasingly common. Meta’s forthcoming release could serve as a significant test case for how such integrations are received by both users and the entertainment industry at large.
The Connect conference, where Meta is expected to unveil this new AI chatbot along with other technological innovations, is likely to be closely watched by industry observers, tech enthusiasts, and privacy advocates alike. As AI becomes more sophisticated and lifelike, the ethical and legal frameworks surrounding its development and deployment will undoubtedly continue to evolve, with each new release potentially setting important precedents for the future of human-AI interaction.