In a recent interview, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his belief that the future of artificial intelligence (AI) will not be dominated by a single entity. He emphasized the importance of open-source AI tools to democratize technology, contrasting Meta’s approach with unnamed competitors whom he accused of trying to create a monopolistic “one true AI.”
Zuckerberg shared his thoughts during a YouTube interview with Kane Sutter (@Kallaway), stating, “AI technology should not be hoarded by one company to build a singular central product.” He criticized the notion of creating an ultimate AI, likening it to “creating God,” which he finds unrealistic and counterproductive.
He elaborated, “In the tech industry, some talk about building ‘one true AI,’ as if they think they’re creating God. But that’s not how this plays out. Realistically, there won’t be one app, one creator, or one business that dominates all content and services.”
Zuckerberg argued for the development of multiple AIs to cater to diverse interests. Reflecting this philosophy, Meta recently launched early tests of its AI Studio software in the U.S., allowing creators to build AI avatars for Instagram. These avatars can interact with users, answering questions and chatting, clearly labeled as “AI” to avoid confusion.
Addressing the limitations of closed AI platforms, Zuckerberg said, “Creating the best experiences for people involves unlocking and unleashing as many innovators as possible. That’s what culture is—diverse groups contributing rather than a single entity dictating everything.”
His comments follow reports that Meta’s attempts to collaborate with Apple on integrating AIs into Apple’s operating systems were unsuccessful. Bloomberg revealed that Apple declined to move forward due to concerns over Meta’s privacy practices, leaving Meta without access to billions of iPhone users globally. In response, Meta appears to be focusing on technology beyond smartphones.
Zuckerberg also discussed Meta’s advancements with Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, predicting their eventual convergence with full holographic displays. He noted that these glasses, priced around $300, offer a cost-effective way to experience multimodal AI without a display, in contrast to the $1,000 Meta Quest Pro.
He outlined a future where three products—display-less smart glasses, heads-up displays, and full holographic displays—would precede this convergence. He suggested that instead of neural interfaces connected directly to the brain, future users might wear wristbands that interpret neural signals from their hands, facilitating communication with the neural interface through subtle hand movements.
However, Zuckerberg cautioned that new AI and input technologies might not immediately replace smartphones. “Historically, new platforms don’t completely eliminate old ones. They just reduce their use,” he explained, comparing it to how smartphones have replaced many functions previously performed on computers.
He anticipates that while smartphones will remain, their use will become more intentional. “In 10 years, we’ll still have phones, but they’ll stay in our pockets unless specifically needed. More and more, people will use smart glasses for tasks like taking photos, asking AI questions, or sending messages,” he predicted.
Zuckerberg’s vision portrays a future where diverse AI tools empower users, moving away from the concept of a singular AI dominating the tech landscape.
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