Meta, Launching Standalone AI App…Directly Competing with GPT

Meta AI App (Source: Meta)

The parent company of Facebook, Meta Platforms, launched its standalone app 'Meta AI' on the 29th (local time), which integrates its latest AI technology, officially entering the AI chatbot market competition. This app is based on Meta's open-source large language model 'Llama 4' and is separated as an independent platform, moving away from functions previously provided within social media.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, stated that "More than 1 billion people are currently using Meta AI," and announced that a dedicated app was created to enhance the user experience. He explained that this app is designed to remember each user's preferences and conversation context and provides personalized voice conversation.

Meta AI can provide more precise customized services by utilizing the data from both platforms if Facebook and Instagram accounts are linked. Additionally, it introduced a 'Discover' feed that allows users to see how others are utilizing AI, aiming for differentiation.

This standalone app launch is interpreted as a move to seek market share in competition with OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft's Copilot, etc. Meta emphasized that it is an open-source-based model, unlike closed models, and announced that it is designed for users to share each other's prompts and results.

Chris Cox, Meta's Chief Product Officer, emphasized, “We learn through each other's actions,” and also highlighted the focus on the voice-based interface. The newly added experimental feature helps the user experience a real call-like experience, including interruptions or laughter.

At the event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella joined to have a conversation with Zuckerberg about the productivity effects and impact of AI technology. Zuckerberg said, "AI can have a significant impact on GDP growth," and Nadella emphasized, "Adoption of technology alone is not enough, and the management system must also change."

Meta plans to invest about 65 billion dollars in AI infrastructure this year, and alongside OpenAI, Google, and Amazon, it has become central to the generative AI dominance race. As discussions grow about the impact of AI technology on the economy as a whole, this launch by Meta is being interpreted as a signal of a new market realignment centered around user experience.