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Meta Launches AI Studio Tool In The U.S.
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by
Meta launched a new AI-powered tool called AI Studio in the United States on Monday. According to the official announcement , AI Studio, built with Llama 3.1, will allow users to create AI characters and AI versions of themselves to interact with other users.
“We’re starting to roll out AI Studio in the US as a place for people to create, share, and discover AIs,” states Meta in the press release. “With AI Studio, we’re taking the first steps in creating a world where anyone can harness the creative capabilities of AI – and this is just the beginning.”
To create AI characters, users can go to AI Studio’s website and choose to create an AI character or do it on Instagram. AI Studio’s platform provides users with multiple prompt templates and ideas that they can use to create and later share with friends and followers through the web, Instagram, Whatsapp, and Messenger.
Users can assign their AI characters a name, personality, tagline, avatar, and tone. In the press release, Meta shows a few examples of the characters users have created, like an AI called Eat Like You Live There! created by chef Marc Murphy that provides tips for local dining to travelers, or What Lens Bro, an AI created by photographer Angel Barclay to help users choose the best lens for their photography project.
Meta highlights that content creators can benefit from AI Studio by building AI versions of themselves to interact with fans and answer common questions via DM.
The new tool is powered by Llama 3 , the advanced AI model the company launched in April to catch up in the AI race. Meta also recently launched AI tools for WhatsApp business .
Meta has not disclosed when Studio AI will be available in other countries. The tech giant has been facing legal difficulties with regions concerned about data use and privacy policies like the European Union and, more recently, Brazil—forcing Meta to withdraw AI services.
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Video Game Industry Resilient Amid Actor Strike
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
Major video game publishers, including Electronic Arts and Take-Two, are likely to avoid significant disruption from the strike initiated by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union workers last week. Reuters reported yesterday that analysts suggest the impact of the strike will be minimal due to the lengthy development timelines of major game titles.
SAG-AFTRA initiated the strike last week, representing roughly 2,600 actors performing voice-over, motion capture, and other work in the gaming industry, as reported by the LA Times .
The industry’s reliance on long development cycles and in-house resources provides a buffer against the strike’s immediate effects. Additionally, the relatively small budget allocated for voice acting in major game titles makes it unlikely that companies would halt projects because of the strike, especially without a unified body pushing for widespread action, reports Reuters.
At the heart of the strike lies the issue of artificial intelligence. Union leaders are seeking a new contract that safeguards actors from the potential misuse of AI technology. Their demands include requiring producers to obtain consent before replicating an actor’s voice or likeness with AI, as well as offering compensation when AI is used to replicate performances.
“We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our members,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.
Union representatives worry that the unchecked use of AI could eventually eliminate the need for voice actors and that companies could potentially train AI to replicate an actor’s voice or create digital replicas of their likeness without consent or fair compensation.
“Our concern is the idea that all of this work translates into grist for the mill that displaces us,” said Sarah Elmaleh, chair of the interactive negotiating committee, as reported by AP News.
While analysts predict minimal immediate impact, the long-term consequences of the strike hinge on its duration. Joost Van Dreunen, a lecturer at NYU’s Stern School of Business, highlighted this concern to Reuters, stating, “If it isn’t resolved by early September, then I can see it carrying into the rest of the year and the holiday season”. This extended disruption could have significant financial repercussions for the industry.
