Meta AI is going global, starting with Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala, Paraguay, the Philippines, and the UK this week. Over the next few weeks, Meta’s AI assistant will roll out to 21 more countries across Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Interestingly, no European countries are on the list due to Meta’s ongoing negotiations with the European Union (EU) over regulatory concerns.
More Countries to Gain Access Soon
While Meta hasn’t specified exact dates for additional countries, the AI assistant will soon launch in Algeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Thailand, Tunisia, the UAE, Vietnam, and Yemen. With the “Imagine Me” feature, users will be able to upload photos to create a digital avatar and integrate it into AI-generated images, which can then be edited through text prompts.
Expanded Language Support
As Meta AI reaches more countries, it’s expanding its language support. Initially, Tagalog will be added, with Arabic, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese following soon. These languages were chosen to match the primary languages of the regions where Meta’s platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are widely used.
Meta AI’s Global Reach
Once the rollout is complete, Meta AI will be available in 43 countries and in 12 different languages. According to Meta, the assistant could become the most widely used AI assistant in the world, with almost 500 million active users monthly by the end of the year.
No Expansion in the EU
Meta AI is popular, but its absence in Europe isn’t a surprise. Meta is avoiding the EU due to strict regulations around AI, particularly concerning data privacy and ethical use. European lawmakers recently introduced rules that slow down the deployment of AI technology, which Meta’s current AI setup may not fully comply with. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has criticized these regulations, suggesting they limit innovation. As a result, Meta is focusing on other markets for now.
Meta AI on Smart Glasses
In addition to the international expansion, Meta AI is now available on Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in the UK and Australia. While Australians have access to all features, UK users are currently limited to voice support. The delay in rolling out full features in the UK might be due to technical or regulatory issues. Meta didn’t provide a specific reason for the difference in features across regions.
