Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, is poised to unveil an innovative feature this week that will allow users to choose celebrity voices for its AI chatbot. According to a report from Reuters, renowned actors such as Judi Dench, Kristen Bell, and John Cena have reportedly agreed to lend their voices to this digital assistant, which bears similarities to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
In addition to these well-known figures, the voice options are expected to include other celebrities like Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key, all of which will be available alongside a selection of more generic voices for Meta’s AI. This announcement is anticipated during Meta’s annual Connect conference, which kicks off on Wednesday. The new audio feature will be accessible across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in the U.S. and other English-speaking markets.
The addition of celebrity voices reflects Meta’s strategic efforts to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI. Tech giants like OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, and Google, under its parent company Alphabet, are also expanding their AI capabilities. Earlier this year, OpenAI launched a similar voice feature for its chatbot, but faced backlash after actress Scarlett Johansson alleged that the company had used a voice resembling hers without permission.
Meta has been actively enhancing its AI offerings and integrating them into its apps, providing users with new ways to engage with this technology. Last year, the company experimented with text-based AI characters inspired by celebrities like Paris Hilton and Snoop Dogg, although these efforts did not gain significant traction.
Additionally, Meta is expected to reveal its first version of augmented reality (AR) glasses during the conference. The company may also outline future plans for other hardware, including the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which debuted last year featuring an audio-enabled version of Meta’s AI assistant.
Ahead of the Connect conference, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a promotional video on Instagram featuring John Cena. In this clip, Cena and others showcase stunts while wearing Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, generating excitement for the upcoming announcements
