Meta Launches Standalone AI App Amid Competition with OpenAI, Google

Meta Platforms has launched a standalone Meta AI app, powered by its latest Llama 4 large language model, to compete directly with OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and xAI's Grok. The app aims to provide users with personalized responses by leveraging data from their Facebook and Instagram accounts, and introduces features such as a Discover feed and a full-duplex speech mode for natural voice interactions. This expansion reflects CEO Mark Zuckerberg's strategy to strengthen Meta's position in the competitive AI landscape and build an interoperable AI ecosystem across its social platforms and new devices like AI glasses. The app is part of a broader industry shift, with major tech companies developing dedicated AI assistant platforms. Meta AI's active user base has grown to 700 million monthly users, outpacing ChatGPT's reported 100 million weekly users. Meta plans to test a paid subscription for advanced versions of the AI assistant later this year, though significant revenue is not expected until next year.