The new Meta AI feature states that it offers “seamless integration” across its apps for enhanced real-time assistance, but some users are frustrated that it cannot be “switched off”.
Global (27 April 2024) – Meta’s latest innovation, powered by Meta Llama 3, is making waves in virtual assistance. While the tech giant promises a seamless and intelligent experience, some users are voicing concerns.
Some readers contacted Good Things Guy to ask us what the new circle logo was doing on their Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp search bars, and some even asked us if it could be disabled, so we dug deep to get you all the information.
First things first, what is Meta Llama 3?
Meta Llama 3, developed by Meta (the umbrella company for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), is a robust large language model (LLM). The company states that it has been “meticulously trained on an extensive corpus of textual data”. This extensive training equips it with a profound understanding of language, enabling it to proficiently engage in various tasks such as generating diverse creative content, facilitating language translation, and providing informative responses to inquiries.
According to a recent news release from Meta, the new AI feature allows users to “access real-time information from across the web without having to bounce between apps.”
“Imagine planning your meals based on available ingredients, studying for exams, or even creating custom images and GIFs, all with the help of real-time AI assistance. Well, thanks to its integration into feeds, chats, and search functions across the Meta ecosystem – including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger – users can seamlessly incorporate Meta AI into their daily activities.”
Meta believes that integrating Meta AI into various Meta platforms offers several benefits for users.
“No longer do you need to switch between Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to find information, make plans, or get creative.”
“With Meta AI, everything you need is right at your fingertips, making your online experience smoother and more efficient.”
So, what are some of the things you can do with Meta AI?
- Conversation: Just want to chat? The feature is happy to engage in a conversation, share its knowledge, and learn from you, too!
- Creative ideas: Stuck on a creative project? The feature can help generate ideas, suggest prompts, and even assist with writing and editing.
- Dialogue and scripts: The feature can generate dialogue for characters, write short scripts, or even help with writing a play or screenplay.
- General knowledge: Ask the feature about history, science, technology, or any other topic you’re curious about.
- Jokes and humour: Need a laugh? The feature has got a collection of clean jokes and puns to share.
- Language translation: The feature can translate text from one language to another, including popular languages like Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and many more.
- Math and calculations: The feature can perform mathematical calculations, from simple algebra to advanced calculus.
- Summarisation: If you have a long piece of text and want to get a quick summary, The feature can do that for you.
- Word games and puzzles: The feature can generate words, solve crosswords, and even create puzzles for you to solve.
- Writing assistance: Need help with writing a story, email, or letter? The feature can provide suggestions, proofread, and even generate text for you.
But what if you don’t want it? Can you “switch it off”?
Despite Meta AI’s promising features, some users have expressed frustration online. Many have voiced their desire to revert to the “old search bar” and turn off the new feature altogether. A meme has even started circulating, humorously pleading with Meta to “please give me back my search bar.”
So, can you turn off Meta AI? The short answer is no.
Meta AI has confirmed that there is no option to disable the feature currently. It is now part of all our Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp search bars.
Curious about how the Meta AI search bar would respond to queries about turning off its own feature, we decided to ask it directly. The response? A set of completely made-up instructions, with the only real solution being to delete your Facebook account.
Yes, it completely fabricated a set of instructions on how to disable itself except from completely removing Facebook from your life. Is Meta being Meta here?
You can see the “instructions” it gave below:
If you’re looking to remove Meta AI from your Facebook account, I’m assuming you mean you want to opt out of using Meta’s AI features on Facebook. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Log in to your Facebook account.
2. Click on your profile picture, then select “Settings & privacy” from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on “Settings”.
4. Scroll down to the “AI and machine learning” section.
5. Toggle off “Meta AI” to opt out of using Meta’s AI features on Facebook.Keep in mind that opting out of Meta’s AI features may limit your ability to use certain features on Facebook, such as personalized recommendations and content moderation.
There is currently no “AI and machine learning” section in Facebook settings. So, the reality is that you cannot disable the function.
The instructions did offer an alternative option. A drastic one, but an alternative.
“If you’re looking to completely remove Meta AI from your life, you can also consider deleting your Facebook account, as Meta AI is integrated into Facebook’s services. However, keep in mind that deleting your account is permanent and cannot be undone.”
So there you have it. Meta AI is here to stay (in your search bar) and as we embrace the future of intelligent virtual assistance, let’s continue to navigate the present with curiosity, awareness, and a touch of humour (like only South Africans can). After all, technology is meant to enhance our lives, and perhaps with the right balance, we can make the most of what Meta AI has to offer.
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