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Meta debuts AI chatbot voiced by celebrities Judi Dench, Awkwafina and others
Meta’s artificial intelligence-powered chatbot spoke to CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a voice familiar to fans of American actress, comedian and rapper Awkwafina in a demo of the enhanced AI tool on Wednesday.
That’s because Meta AI, the company’s virtual assistant, now reads aloud its responses to user queries, and can do so in the voice of a number of celebrities, the technology company announced at its Connect conference. The chatbot, which Meta says has roughly 400 million users, lets you choose the voice you hear.
Now those voices include Awkwafina, Kristin Bell, John Cena, Dame Judi Dench and Keegan-Michael Key, the company said. More generic voice options will also be available.
“I think that voice is going to be a way more natural way of interacting with AI than text. It is just a lot better,” Zuckerberg said in announcing the feature. Meta is adding celebrity voices to “make this fun,” he added.
In a demo of the tool at the conference, Zuckerberg said to the AI, “Hey, are live demos risky?” In the voice of Awkwafina, the AI responded, “Live demos can be risky, yes. They can be unpredictable, prone to technical issues and potentially embarrassing….”
The use of AI chatbots sounding like celebs drew attention earlier this year when ChatGPT developer OpenAI found itself in hot water over its use of a voice Scarlett Johansson said sounded eerily similar to her own. In May, the actress released a statement saying that OpenAI founder Sam Altman had asked her to voice ChatGPT’s text-to-speech product, but that she declined, according to a New York Times report.
Nine months later, when ChatGPT introduced its voice product, Johansson said she was “shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” according to the report.
The actors whom Meta has partnered with could have been paid millions in exchange for use of their voices, according to a New York Times report on the negotiations. Meta did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for comment on the terms of the deals.
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
