Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is joining the race to develop generative artificial intelligence (AI) products. The company announced on Thursday that it will begin testing AI-powered ad tools that can create content, such as image backgrounds and variations of written text. The tools will be tested in a “testing playground” that Meta is calling the AI Sandbox, and a select group of advertisers will be invited to experiment with the tools.
Meta executives did not specify how many advertisers will have access to the space at the outset, but they said more advertisers will get access in July. And some of the features will have integration into general-purpose ad products later in the year.
The announcement marks Meta’s first step into rolling out products that use generative AI technology. Generative AI technology mines vast stores of past data to create new content, such as prose, art, and software code. Meta’s move follows its top digital advertising rival, Alphabet’s Google, which announced on Wednesday that it would start offering integrations of the technology in its search, email, and photo products.
The announcement also comes after the launch of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, which uses generative AI technology. Since its launch, the technology has attracted significant interest and investment.
Meta’s AI Sandbox is a space where advertisers can experiment with AI-powered ad tools. Meta executives have said that they plan to grant access to more advertisers in the future and integrate some of the features into general-purpose ad products later in the year. The company has not revealed how many advertisers will have access to the AI Sandbox at the outset, only saying that the group will be small.
Meta’s move to develop AI-powered ad tools will likely benefit advertisers who will be able to create content more efficiently. However, it remains to see how this move will impact the social media giant’s business and whether the company will face any legal or ethical challenges regarding the use of generative AI technology.
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