Dame Judi Dench and John Cena Team Up for Meta AI Chatbot

Dame Judi Dench and John Cena to voice Meta AI chatbot

Meta, the company behind Instagram, has announced that Dame Judi Dench and John Cena will soon be lending their voices to its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. In addition to these famous voices, users will also have the option to interact with AI versions of Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, or Kristen Bell.

Celebrity Chatbots

This new move by Meta comes after a previous attempt in September 2023, where the company introduced AI chatbots based on celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Snoop Dogg, only to discontinue them less than a year later. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, shared the news during the company's annual Connect conference, expressing his belief that voice interaction will be a more natural way to engage with AI compared to text.

Meta's Latest Innovations

In addition to the celebrity chatbots, Meta unveiled its first working prototype of augmented reality glasses named Orion. With the Orion glasses, users can interact through hand-tracking, voice commands, and a wrist-based interface. The company also introduced a new entry-level version of its Quest line of mixed-reality headsets, the Quest 3S, starting at $300 (£225).

Meta has heavily invested in AI, AR, and metaverse technologies, with a projected spending of up to $40 billion on new projects this year. The company's shares have seen significant growth, with a more than 60% increase since the beginning of the year.

Misinformation and Response

Prior to the annual showcase, Meta faced challenges as misinformation spread among Facebook and Instagram users, including celebrities like James McAvoy and Tom Brady. A false post claimed that users had to repost to prevent Meta from using their content to train AI tools. Meta clarified that users can object to their content usage through a notification or privacy settings.