Naomi Osaka, Snoop Dogg to Play AI Chatbots
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed a group of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots played by celebrities, including tennis star Naomi Osaka and rapper and actor Snoop Dogg.
Meta users will be able to chat with any of 28 new AI characters — although only in the US at first.
None of the AI characters is meant to represent a real, living person — rather, they're new, artificial characters, some of whom share a famous person's face.
However, one of the chatbots does pretend to be 19th century British author Jane Austen.
Osaka's face is being used to play Tamika, an "anime fanatic," while Snoop Dogg's face is being used by an AI character called "Dungeon Master."
"I'm Tamika. I love anime, cosplay, and all things Japanese," Osaka's AI character said in one of her first Facebook posts.
Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg's Dungeon Master told Facebook users he will be the "guide of your own AI adventure."
Some of the characters aren't even human, including an elf called Thalia, a blue-skinned man called "Alvin the Alien," and the mechanical "Bob the Robot."
Each chatbot has its own "personality, mannerisms and backstory," and will be available through Whatsapp, Instagram and Messenger, Meta said.
It said chatting with the AIs "should feel like talking to familiar people."
"This isn't just going to be about answering queries. This is about entertainment," Zuckerberg said, according to the BBC.
Zuckerberg announced the chatbots and several other new products at Meta's annual Connect conference.
He also introduced a virtual reality (VR) headset, called Quest 3, that allows users to mix the virtual world and the real world. Meta also showed new smart glasses with voice-operated Meta AI that will cost $299.
The 28 new chatbots are designed to show the possibilities of personalized AI.
Other characters use the faces of model Kendall Jenner, American football star Tom Brady, and Australian soccer player Sam Kerr. Each one has its own Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Meta also said users will be able to make their own personal chatbots "in the coming year."
