As the AI (artificial intelligence) race intensifies, Meta AI (a Facebook parent company) unveils a standalone AI app, setting up a rivalry with ChatGPT creator OpenAI. 

Launched on Tuesday 29, April 2025, Meta announced that the Llama AI model powers its new AI assistant, which includes a discovery feed with usage examples and prompt suggestions.

Meta’s standalone AI app directly rivals ChatGPT and other major players like Claude, Grok, and Gemini in the growing AI race. This chatbot became more prominent in April when it replaced the search function in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Meta launched a generative AI chatbot in September 2023, enabling in-app responses and image creation.

Susan Li, Meta’s finance chief, reported that Meta AI’s monthly active users grew from 600 million in December to roughly 700 million in January.

Meta is the newest to enter the standalone AI app market, following recent releases by Google (Gemini) and xAI (Grok).

As Meta hosts its first LlamaCon for its Llama AI models at its Menlo Park headquarters, investors are keenly watching for early returns on the company’s substantial AI investments, following a January announcement of up to $65 billion in infrastructure spending. Meta is scheduled to release its first-quarter financial results on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/29/meta-launches-standalone-ai-app-to-take-on-chatgpt.html