Meta has officially launched its standalone Meta AI app, directly challenging major competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The app, released on April 29, 2025, represents Meta’s biggest push yet into the AI assistant market.
The new app expands Meta’s AI presence beyond its existing integrations in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, where it has already built a substantial user base.
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Meta AI runs on the company’s latest Llama 4 language model, which powers the app’s ability to understand complex questions and generate relevant responses. The company claims this technology makes conversations more natural and personalized.
A standout feature is the experimental full-duplex voice technology available in select regions (US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). This technology allows Meta AI to listen and speak simultaneously during conversations, creating a more natural flow compared to traditional voice assistants that alternate between listening and speaking.
“While speaking with AI using your voice isn’t new, we’ve improved our underlying model with Llama 4 to bring you responses that feel more personal and relevant, and more conversational in tone,” Meta stated in its announcement.
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Personal and Social Features
What sets Meta AI apart from competitors is its focus on personalization and social features. The app can learn user preferences over time and deliver more relevant answers by drawing on information users have already shared across Meta’s platforms (with permission).
The personalization features are currently limited to users in the US and Canada. Users who connect their Facebook and Instagram accounts through Meta’s Accounts Center will receive even more tailored responses.
The app also introduces a “Discover feed” where users can see how others are using the AI assistant. People can view prompts shared by other users, remix those ideas for their own use, or share their own interactions—creating a social dimension that leverages Meta’s core strength in connecting people.
Cross-Device Experience
Meta AI works across devices and platforms. The app serves as the companion app for Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, allowing users to start a conversation on their glasses and continue it on their phone or computer.
The web version at meta.ai has been optimized for larger screens with improved image generation capabilities. Users can modify style, mood, lighting, and colors when creating images. Meta is also testing a document editor in select countries that allows users to create and export documents as PDFs or import documents for AI analysis.
Market Competition Intensifies
The launch comes at a critical time in the AI assistant market. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated in January that he believes “2025 is going to be the year when a highly intelligent and personalized AI assistant reaches more than 1 billion people, and I expect Meta AI to be that leading AI assistant.”
Meta reported in January that its AI assistant had about 700 million monthly active users across its platforms. This gives Meta a potential advantage over competitors who had to build their user bases from scratch with standalone apps.
The company is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, with plans to spend up to $65 billion this year alone. The launch coincides with Meta’s first LlamaCon developer event for its AI models, held at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
Earlier reports indicated that Meta plans to test a paid subscription for advanced versions of the AI assistant in the second quarter, though meaningful revenue from subscriptions might not materialize until next year at the earliest.
The tech giant will report its first-quarter earnings on Wednesday, which may provide more insights into how its massive AI investments are affecting its business.
