Meta in Advanced Talks to Buy Voice AI Startup PlayAI

Meta is reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire PlayAI, a voice artificial intelligence (AI) platform, according to a Bloomberg report. The deal, which has not yet been finalized, would involve Meta acquiring PlayAI's technology and some of its employees.

Key Details of the Potential Acquisition

• Purpose: The acquisition could help Meta enhance voice features for its AI assistant and smartglasses.
• PlayAI's Technology: PlayAI has developed several voice AI tools, including:
  • Play 3.0 mini: A text-to-speech model with voice cloning.
  • No-code voice agent platform: Simplifies the creation of voice agents.
  • Real-time APIs: For conversational voice agents.
  • PlayDialog: A multi-turn speech model.
• Funding: PlayAI raised $21 million in seed and pre-seed funding in November, as announced in a blog post and press release.

Meta's Broader AI Strategy

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been actively pursuing AI startups to accelerate the company's AI advancements. Recent efforts include:

• Scale AI Deal: Meta invested $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in Scale AI and hired its CEO, Alexandr Wang, to lead Meta's superintelligence efforts.
• Hiring Talent: Meta recently poached three researchers from OpenAI to strengthen its AI team.

Why This Matters

• Competitive Edge: Acquiring PlayAI would give Meta a significant boost in voice AI capabilities, positioning it against rivals like Google and Amazon.
• Frustration with Llama: Zuckerberg has reportedly been dissatisfied with the pace of advancements in Meta's open-source large language model, Llama, driving the push for external acquisitions and talent.

Reactions and Next Steps

• Meta declined to comment when contacted by PYMNTS.
• PlayAI has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The deal is still under negotiation, and terms could change. However, if finalized, this acquisition would mark another strategic move by Meta to dominate the AI landscape.