Meta Is Building a Digital Voice Assistant for Metaverse Push

$Meta Platforms (FB.US)$ is building a digital voice assistant to help people interact hands-free with physical devices, such as the company’s Portal video-calling device and, eventually, augmented-reality glasses.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said the company is building the assistant in preparation for the so-called metaverse, a more immersive version of the internet that will let people interact online through virtual and AR glasses. Digital assistants will need to “learn the way humans do” to help users navigate this new online world, Zuckerberg said during a presentation on Wednesday.

“When we have glasses on our faces, that will be the first time an AI system will be able to really see the world from our perspective -- see what we see, hear what we hear and more,” Zuckerberg added, saying he hopes to eventually build AI assistants that can “move between virtual and physical worlds.” The AI assistant doesn’t have a name, but Meta is calling the effort “Project CAIRaoke.”

AI voice assistants are not unique to Meta. Apple Inc.’s voice assistant, Siri, comes loaded onto its iPhone and iPad devices. $Amazon (AMZN.US)$ Alexa has also become a household staple for many people.