Meta has acquired Play AI, a startup specialising in AI-driven voice technology. The entire Play AI team will transition to Meta, reporting to Johan Schalkwyk, a recent hire from another voice AI firm. Play AI is known for its voice cloning tool that can replicate a user's voice or generate new, human-like voices for use across digital platforms.
Meta views Play AI's technology as a strong fit for its ongoing AI projects, including Meta AI, AI Characters, wearables, and audio content creation. This acquisition aligns with Meta's broader strategy of investing in AI to develop natural voices and enhance audio creation. Meta has been actively recruiting AI talent, including poaching experts from OpenAI and Google, and investing heavily in AI infrastructure.
The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. This move underscores Meta's focus on speech and voice interfaces as key components of future social experiences and its hardware roadmap, potentially impacting AR/VR and smart glasses development.
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