5 interesting facts about Meta AI that will surprise you

Meta (formerly known as Facebook), has transformed itself from a social networking giant into a company driving the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality.

Under Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership, Meta is investing heavily in AI-powered tools, immersive hardware like Ray-Ban smart glasses, and the development of its open-source Llama large language models.

Here are five surprising facts about Meta and its AI ecosystem.

1. Meta AI runs on open-source power

Meta’s Llama models form the backbone of its AI capabilities. Unlike competitors who keep their models proprietary, Meta has embraced open-source, making Llama free for researchers and developers.

The latest version, Llama 4, uses a “Mixture-of-Experts” architecture that boosts performance while staying energy-efficient.

2. Deep integration across apps

Meta AI is built into Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. By tagging @Meta AI, users can ask for summaries, event suggestions, or even creative captions.

In WhatsApp, it appears as a standalone contact, helping groups plan outings or get instant recommendations without leaving the chat.

3. A superpower for smart glasses

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses feature AI-powered voice assistance. Users can snap photos, get real-time translations, or navigate hands-free.

When paired with Meta’s experimental Neural Band, the glasses can even respond to subtle hand gestures using electromyography sensors, bringing science fiction closer to reality.

4. Privacy concerns around data use

Meta has faced criticism for training its AI on user-generated content. While private messages are excluded, posts and photos may be used in some regions.

In Europe, users must actively opt out, raising concerns over the “right to be forgotten,” since once data is used in training, it cannot be fully erased.

5. Strategic alliance with Microsoft

Meta has teamed up with Microsoft to bring Llama models to Azure’s cloud and integrate them into Windows.

This partnership also extends to the metaverse, where Meta’s VR technology is powering immersive meetings on Microsoft Teams.