Meta has unveiled a new tool called AI Studio, enabling users to create virtual characters with personalized traits and interests, including versions of themselves that can interact with audiences through direct messages.

AI Studio is initially rolling out to Instagram Business account holders and will be available to all Meta users in the United States within the next few weeks. The platform will be accessible via ai.meta.com/ai-studio and the Instagram app, as well as through WhatsApp, Messenger, and browsers.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, envisions users creating custom AI chatbots for entertainment purposes or as personal support tools. For instance, chatbots could be used for role-play scenarios like negotiating a pay rise or resolving a conflict with a friend. These kinds of interactions provide a safe space for users to practice and receive feedback on various social situations.

To ensure responsible use, AI Studio includes features that allow users to restrict who can interact with their chatbots and control the topics they discuss. The platform’s usage policy also explicitly prohibits the creation of chatbots deemed hateful, explicit, or illegal.

In a blog post, Meta highlighted several chatbots developed by celebrities using AI Studio. For example, chef Marc Murphy created a chatbot named “Eat Like You Live There!” to offer dining recommendations, while photographer Angel Barclay designed “What Lens Bro,” a bot providing photography tips.

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Meta’s AI Studio handbook provides guidance on customizing chatbots, allowing users to input a detailed description, choose a name, and upload an image. They can also specify how bots should respond to particular prompts. The system, leveraging Meta’s powerful Llama model, improvises responses based on these instructions.

In addition to AI Studio, Meta also introduced another innovative tool, known as Segment Anything Model (SAM) 2. The technology can identify and track the contents of images and videos, which Zuckerberg demonstrated by showcasing its ability to monitor cattle on his vast ranch in Kauai. The Facebook founder also noted that SAM2 has broader applications, such as studying coral reefs, natural habitats, and landscape changes.