Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, announced it is working on a project that will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to expand the future of the metaverse. The project will focus on creating software that works with any language in the world, improving translation capabilities and communication with voice assistants.
The metaverse is most simply defined as a virtual world where people can interact, work, socialize, and play with each other. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he believes it is the future of the internet and his company.
“The key to unlocking most of these advances is AI,” said Zuckerberg during the company’s livestream on Wednesday.
He explained that Meta is currently working on a new class of AI models that will allow people to describe a world and have the AI generate aspects of it for them. In a demo, Zuckerberg showcased an AI concept called “Builder Bot,” where he appeared as a 3D avatar on an island, giving speech commands to create a beach setting.
“As we advance this technology further, you’ll be able to create nuanced worlds to explore and share experiences with others, with just your voice,” Zuckerberg said.
According to Meta, while current translation tools cater to commonly spoken languages like English, Mandarin, and Spanish, around 20% of the world’s population do not speak a language offered by these systems.
Meta has expressed that it wants to change that.
To do this, the company has a plan to deploy new machine learning techniques in two areas. The first area is called “No Language Left Behind” and will focus on building AI models that translate language using fewer training examples.
The second area, called “Universal Speech Translator,” will concentrate on building systems that directly translate speech from one language to another in real-time without requiring a written component.
“Our ability to communicate is one of the most fundamental aspects of being human. Technologies, from the printing press to video chat, have often transformed our ways of communicating and sharing ideas,” a Meta blog post reads. “As we strive for a more inclusive and connected world, it’ll be even more important to break down existing barriers to information and opportunity by empowering people in their chosen languages.”