In an effort to stand out in the increasingly competitive AI space, Meta Platforms has rolled out a standalone AI app that incorporates social media elements, aiming to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT. The new Meta AI app is powered by the company’s Llama 4 model and features a Discover feed where users can explore how others are engaging with the AI. It also includes a voice mode for more interactive experiences.

According to Forrester research director Mike Proulx, Meta is smartly leveraging its social media roots to distinguish its AI offering. He likened the Discover feed to a version of the original Facebook feed, but focused entirely on AI-related content. By allowing users to link their Facebook and Instagram accounts, Meta can personalize the app experience using social media data.

Unlike many competitors, Meta has embraced a different strategy by releasing its AI technology for free and as open-source. The company claims over a billion people interact with its AI tools every month. During Meta’s first LlamaCon developer conference in Menlo Park, CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for a conversation on the rapid evolution of AI and its transformative impact on both companies. They discussed how AI is already being used to write code and reshape industries.

Zuckerberg acknowledged the hype surrounding AI, stating that if it’s truly going to drive major productivity gains, those improvements should eventually show up in global economic growth. "This is going to take many years to unfold," he said, asking Nadella for his thoughts on measuring progress.

Nadella compared the AI shift to the advent of electricity, noting that while AI holds promise, realizing its full potential will require changes not only in software but also in organizational practices. He pointed out that it took half a century to adapt factory operations to electricity. Zuckerberg responded, "Well, we’re all investing like it won’t take 50 years—so let’s hope it doesn’t."