Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta launched a standalone artificial intelligence app Tuesday, putting it in direct competition with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and marking the latest app to release as part of the larger AI race.
Meta announced the app Tuesday. (Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- Meta announced the launch of the app, which features an AI chatbot and a “discover” feed that allows users to see how others are using the assistant.
- The app uses Meta’s Llama 4 model, which was released early this month and has been touted by Meta as being more cost-efficient than competitor models like Gemini, GPT and DeepSeek.
- Meta’s AI assistant could already be used on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.
What Features Are In The Standalone Meta Ai App?
The app gives users access to image generation, image editing and a voice mode that can be interacted with while using other apps on a device. The AI chatbot can answer questions using the web and use information users have shared on Meta products such as their Facebook profiles or the content they like on the social media app.
Those who link their Facebook and Instagram profiles to their account centre can create a more personalized experience when interacting with the Meta AI app. Users with Ray-Ban Meta glasses will be able to interact with Meta AI on the glasses and the app, enabling them to begin conversations through the eyewear and resume them through the app.
The Meta AI app also features a voice assistant demo that provides more conversational responses, though it does not have access to the internet or real-time information.
Tangent
Meta’s stock was up a little over 1% as of 2 p.m. EDT ( $555.30), continuing a rise following its lowest point of the year on April 21. Shares of the tech giant are down 7.3% in 2025.
What Other Tech Companies Have Standalone Ai Apps?
OpenAI (ChatGPT), Google (Gemini), Microsoft (Copilot) and Anthropic (Claude) all have AI Apps. Elon Musk’s xAI launched a standalone app for its Grok chatbot in January. Similar to how Meta’s AI was once exclusively on the company’s social media apps, Grok was previously limited to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Key Background
Though Meta is late to launching its standalone app when compared to competitors, it has featured its AI assistant across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp since 2023, allowing its AI models to be trained with more content.
Meta’s AI assistant garnered nearly 600 million monthly users as of December, according to Meta. One of the company’s AI competitors, OpenAI, told CNBC in February it was hosting 400 million weekly active users. While not having Meta’s advantage of offering its AI through social media apps, OpenAI has generated historic funding in its quest to lead the AI race.
In March, OpenAI closed a $40 billion funding round, valuing the company at $300 billion and marking the biggest private tech funding round ever. Meanwhile, xAI’s Grok is backed by Musk, the world’s richest person, and the company’s supercomputer site in Memphis, Tenn., that is capable of training AI models at exceptional speeds.
