Meta’s Evolving AI Strategy | Bytes: Week in Review | Marketplace Tech

Meta’s Evolving AI Strategy | Bytes: Week in Review | Marketplace Tech

Introduction

Welcome to Marketplace Tech bites, your weekly review of the biggest stories making headlines across the tech industry. I'm your host, Lily Jamali. This week, we've got several significant developments to discuss — from the Senate passing online safety legislation for kids to Meta’s changing AI strategy, and some EV insights with Joanna Stern. Joining me this week is Joanna Stern, the senior personal technology columnist at the Wall Street Journal. Hi, Joanna!

Bite of the Week

Let's kick things off with our bite of the week — a number that encapsulates the week that was in tech. Joanna, what do you have for us?

Online Safety Legislation for Kids

• The Senate has passed two pieces of online safety legislation focused on minors: the Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (Capa 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act (Kosa).
• Capa 2.0 aims to ban targeted advertising to minors and prevent data collection without consent.
• Kosa aims to ensure platforms take "reasonable measures" to limit harm to minors.
• There are concerns about how effectively these laws can be implemented and what "reasonable measures" entail.
• The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, which is currently in recess.

Meta’s Evolving AI Strategy

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has started rolling out AI studio in the US to let creators generate avatars that can interact with followers in a Q&A style. This comes right after Meta discontinued its celebrity AI chatbot. Joanna explains that Meta is struggling to find the intersection between its social media business and the cutting-edge AI technology it possesses.

• Key Points:
  • Meta’s previous AI chatbot featuring celebrities was not successful.
  • New AI projects include AI studio and generative AI tools on Instagram.
  • Upcoming features include an AI assistant for Meta’s Quest headsets.

EV Lessons and Regrets with Joanna Stern

Joanna has spent the last year leasing a Ford Mustang Mach-E. She shares her biggest regrets and positive surprises:

• Regrets:
  • Leasing at a time when better deals became available just months later.
• Positive Surprises:
  • Public charging has been more accessible and less troublesome than expected.
  • The opening of Tesla's charging network to other EV brands has significantly improved charging options.

Conclusion

Joanna Stern’s insights into EV ownership and the developing landscape of AI at Meta show how rapidly the tech industry continues to evolve.

Farewell

On a personal note, this is my final week with Marketplace Tech. It's been an incredible journey, and I've loved making this show for you. I'll miss it dearly, but you’re in capable hands with my colleagues. Thank you for joining us every week, and don't forget to like and subscribe to Marketplace APM on YouTube. I'm Lily Jamali, and this is APM.

Keyword

• Online safety legislation
• Capa 2.0
• Kosa
• Meta AI strategy
• Celebrity AI chatbot
• AI studio
• Quest headsets
• EV ownership
• Ford Mustang Mach-E
• Charging networks
• Tesla charging network

FAQ

Q: What are Capa 2.0 and Kosa? A: Capa 2.0 and Kosa are new online safety legislations aimed at protecting minors. Capa 2.0 bans targeted advertising and data collection without consent, while Kosa ensures platforms take reasonable measures to limit harm to minors.

Q: What is Meta’s new AI studio? A: Meta's AI studio allows creators to generate avatars of themselves to interact with followers in a Q&A style.

Q: Why did Meta discontinue its celebrity AI chatbot? A: The celebrity AI chatbot featuring stars like Paris Hilton and Charlie Demilio was not successful and did not gain much traction.

Q: What is Joanna Stern’s biggest regret about leasing an EV? A: Joanna regrets leasing her EV just before better deals became available, resulting in a loss of $ 50 to $ 100 per month in potential savings.

Q: What has been a positive surprise for Joanna Stern in her EV ownership? A: Public charging has been more reliable and accessible than expected, especially with Tesla opening up its charging network to other EV brands.