Meta is doubling down on artificial intelligence with massive infrastructure investments and new social features for its AI assistant. The company's aggressive AI strategy reflects CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision of developing what he calls full general intelligence while creating more personalized and social AI experiences.
Meta's Staggering AI Investment Increase
Meta has once again significantly increased its planned capital expenditure for AI infrastructure, announcing a new target range of USD $64 billion to USD $72 billion for 2025. This represents a substantial increase from the USD $60-65 billion range forecasted just three months ago, and more than doubles the USD $28 billion spent in 2023. During Wednesday's earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the pace of progress in AI as staggering while emphasizing Meta's ambitious goal of developing full general intelligence.
The massive investment appears to be paying off for investors, as Meta's stock jumped more than 5% in after-hours trading following quarterly earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The company also provided a strong revenue forecast for the current quarter, projecting between USD $42.5 billion and USD $45.5 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 9% to 16%.
New Meta AI App Features Social Discovery and Personal Memory
Meta has launched a dedicated AI app with distinctive social features that differentiate it from competitors. The app now includes a Discover feed that allows users to view and interact with AI prompts shared by friends and family. Examples include friends asking the AI to summarize them in emojis or checking if a camping location might have bears. Users can also remix their friends' prompts, essentially copying and modifying them for their own use.
Privacy concerns are addressed by making prompt sharing opt-in, with users choosing which interactions to make public. The app also includes a history tab that integrates with Meta's broader ecosystem, allowing users to review questions asked through Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses later on their phones.
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| A screenshot of the Meta AI app showcasing interactive prompts shared by users, illustrating new social discovery features |
Personal AI That Gets to Know You
Meta's AI assistant is now designed to get to know you by remembering information shared in previous conversations. Built on Meta's latest Llama 4 model, the assistant can provide more personalized responses for exercise routines, diet advice, and other contexts requiring personal information. This memory feature is currently available to users in the United States and Canada.
The system can also draw from information users have shared on Facebook or Instagram if they choose to link their accounts, creating a more integrated experience across Meta's platforms. This approach follows similar memory systems implemented by competitors like ChatGPT last year, but with Meta's unique social media integration.
Building an AI Ecosystem Beyond the Metaverse
Meta's AI strategy appears to be creating an interconnected ecosystem that extends beyond its previously emphasized metaverse vision. By integrating AI capabilities across its social platforms, smart glasses, and dedicated apps, Meta is building a comprehensive AI experience that leverages its existing user base and social graph.
While the company continues to invest heavily in infrastructure to support these AI ambitions, the focus on practical, social applications suggests Meta is finding new ways to engage users beyond virtual reality environments. This shift may represent a more pragmatic approach to next-generation technologies while still pursuing Zuckerberg's long-term vision of more immersive digital experiences.