Meta recently released its free AI Chatbot, Meta AI with Llama 3, making it available to 3.98 billion people worldwide. Integrated with popular platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook Newsfeed, Meta AI is based on the open-source Llama 3 Large Language Model. This AI assistant offers multimodal capabilities, generates images, and provides accurate answers with the help of Bing and Google. Additionally, Meta AI can turn images into .gifs and is available for free, potentially posing a challenge to paid services like Google, OpenAI, and X.
In the realm of video editing, Adobe has announced the addition of Sora and Firefly AI to Premiere, enhancing the software with features like in-painting and generative extend. These new upgrades are set to roll out gradually next month, offering users more advanced editing capabilities. Meanwhile, Glue, a VR collaboration platform that gained early traction with enterprise clients, has closed its operations. With competition from other collaborative VR platforms like Engage, Spatial.io, Meta’s Horizon Workrooms, and others, the niche market is seeing some shakeups.
The VR industry as a whole seems to be experiencing a downturn, with Sony discontinuing production of its PlayStation 2 VR headset. According to a report by Business Insider, kids are increasingly losing interest in VR goggles, posing challenges for companies like Apple and Meta. However, Gabe Newell’s Brain-Computer Interface company, Starfish Neuroscience, has emerged from stealth mode after years of development work on BCI technology. In a separate development, Animoca Brands, the company behind popular digital assets like The Sandbox and MetaMask, has revealed impressive financial figures, excluding the value of its minority investments in Web3 companies.
In the creative world, screenwriter and AI filmmaker Gregory Mandarano used AI tools like Udio, Midjourney, RunwayML, Davinci Resolve, and Topaz AI to compose a musical ode to Owen Lars from Star Wars. Mandarano reflects on the evolution of filmmaking tools that empower individuals to create on their own, without the need for a large team. Additionally, Abandoned Films has released a series of video memes inspired by the aesthetic of “1950s Super Panavision 70,” using tools like Midjourney, Eleven Labs, Runway, Stable Audio, and Script ChatGPT for editing.
For those interested in immersive technologies, the podcast “This Week in XR,” hosted by Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, and Rony Abovitz, features guest Akash Nigam, CEO of Genies. The podcast covers a range of topics related to XR (extended reality) technologies, including AI, VR, and AR. Listeners can tune in on platforms like Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the ever-evolving world of immersive technology.
