Explainer: What Meta AI’s rollout means for WhatsApp, Instagram users

With Meta’s recent rollout, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now everywhere you turn.

Meta announced on Thursday that its AI assistant is now available across all its platforms in seven countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. The AI assistant is available on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger and can access real-time information from across the web without leaving the app.

It also has a feature that allows users to create images from text using its AI imagine feature. The rollout is in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.

According to Meta, its AI assistant in English will enhance connections and provide people with tools to be more creative, expressive and productive.

Here are some features of the AI assistant:

Search integration in apps

Meta AI is now available in search across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. With it, users can access real-time information from across the web without bouncing between apps. For instance, users can search for questions to answers on WhatsApp without having to switch apps.

AI in Feed

With the new AI assistant, users can access more information on Facebook posts by asking the assistant for more information from the post. “So if you see a photo of the northern lights in Iceland, you can ask Meta AI what time of year is best to check out the aurora borealis,” Meta said.

Using text-to-image

With the AI’s image generation, users can create images from text in real time using Meta AI’s Imagine feature. Images will appear as the user starts typing and change with every few letters typed.

“We are excited to share our next-generation assistant with even more people and can’t wait to see how it enhances people’s lives. While these updates are specific to Meta AI in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and on the web, Meta AI is also available in the US on Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses,” Meta said.

“Meta AI’s image generation is now faster, producing images as you type, so you can create album artwork for your band, decor inspiration for your apartment, animated custom GIFs and more,” it added.