Meta Unveils Advanced AR Glasses And New AI Model At Meta Connect

According to Cointelegraph, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the first fully functioning prototype of the company's augmented-reality smart glasses, Orion, at the Meta Connect event in California on September 25. Zuckerberg described Orion as the most advanced smart glasses ever created, featuring tiny projectors in the arms that generate a heads-up display on real-world objects. He likened the glasses to a 'time machine,' offering a glimpse into an exciting future. Orion is controlled by voice prompts and a 'neural interface' wrist-worn wearable, allowing users to navigate and control apps through specific gestures. A demo video showcased Orion's capabilities, including a virtual game of Pong and video chat through augmented reality. Zuckerberg emphasized that Orion represents a shift from traditional computers and smartphones, enabling more integrated interactions with computer systems in the real world. Meta also announced upgrades to its Ray-Ban smart glasses, including real-time AI video interaction, processing, and live language translation between English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Additionally, Zuckerberg unveiled the Quest 3S mixed-reality headset, starting at $299 for the 128 GB version, significantly cheaper than the $500 Quest 3 128 GB headset, which will be discontinued. Meta will also discontinue the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro headsets, while the 512GB Quest 3 will remain at a reduced price of $500. In the AI domain, Zuckerberg introduced Llama 3.2, a new AI model that allows developers to create more advanced AI applications with a deeper understanding of images and text. The update includes a new lineup of 'natural' voices for Meta AI, featuring famous personalities like former WWE star John Cena and English actress Dame Judi Dench. This announcement follows OpenAI's introduction of its 'Advanced Voice' feature, which added five new voices with upgradable features for premium ChatGPT users.