Meta Launches Standalone AI App to Challenge OpenAI and Google in the AI Race

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has introduced a standalone app for its Meta AI assistant, aiming to expand the assistant’s use beyond its integration in existing platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. This move mirrors similar strategies taken by OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, and Google, which have already launched independent AI applications.

By separating Meta AI into its own app, Meta hopes to encourage more direct interaction with its virtual assistant. The launch underscores Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's ambition to fortify the company’s presence in the artificial intelligence sector and to compete head-to-head with industry giants like Google and OpenAI.

This new Meta AI app is engineered to deliver more tailored responses to users by drawing on contextual data and personal elements from their connected Facebook and Instagram accounts. This level of personalization is intended to set the app apart from other general-purpose AI tools on the market.

Meta AI is powered by Llama 4, the latest version of Meta’s large language model. Llama 4 has been developed to match or outperform similar AI models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Deepseek. It brings enhanced reasoning abilities, multilingual proficiency, and overall performance improvements, positioning Meta as a serious contender in the AI domain.

In addition to the app, Meta plans to integrate Meta AI with its smart glasses and consolidate it within the existing companion app. This seamless integration across devices represents Meta’s vision of embedding AI deeper into everyday experiences and user routines.

To further spotlight its AI advancements, Meta is hosting its inaugural developer conference focused on artificial intelligence, known as LlamaCon. This event, held on Tuesday, will feature discussions centered around the Llama family of AI models and their potential applications in various fields.

Looking ahead, Meta is preparing to introduce a paid subscription model for advanced versions of the Meta AI chatbot in the second quarter of the year. However, according to insiders, substantial revenue from this service might not materialize until sometime next year. Meta AI, originally launched in September 2023, continues to evolve as a powerful virtual assistant built on sophisticated large language model technology.