Forget expensive computers and complicated setups! Meta AI, allows you to explore Facebook’s AI chatbot Llama 3 right on your PC. This website eliminates the need for powerful hardware and technical expertise, making cutting-edge AI accessible to everyone. Here’s how to use it.
Meta AI is powered by Llama 3, a Large Language Model (LLM). Llama 3 is an open-source model, and many LLM hobbyists run it using open-source tools like Ollama, or closed-source (but free) tools like LM Studio.
There are several versions of Llama 3, and each version requires a more powerful GPU, CPU, and RAM to run effectively. Meta AI gives you a pretty good Llama 3 experience without needing expensive PC hardware.
Meta AI uses the cloud to provide users access to Llama 3’s AI features. With the Meta AI website, you get an easy-to-use, OpenAI-like interface with fast performance that, in my experience, some top-of-the-line Nvidia gaming graphics cards have a hard time providing.
A Quick Start Guide to Meta AI
Using Meta AI is quite easy. To start, head over to the page. Once you’re there, you’ll find a ChatGPT-like chat interface. You don’t need an account to interact with Meta AI and Llama 3. However, you should consider logging into your Facebook account, as it’ll better integrate with Meta’s other services (Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, etc.)
After logging into your account, you’ll see two options on the left-hand sidebar. There’s the “New conversation” button, which you can select to start a new conversation with Meta AI. Here, you can ask it various questions like any LLM (ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, etc.)
To use the conversational feature in Meta AI, click on the text box that says “Ask Meta AI anything…” and ask it a question. It can answer anything from programming questions to philosophical questions, and even how to bake a cake.
Additionally, Meta AI has an “Imagine” feature. This feature is a lot like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 or Google Gemini’s image creation feature. You can ask it to create AI-generated images, and it does it quite well. To generate an image with Meta AI, click on the “Ask Meta AI anything…” box and describe your image.
Personalize Your AI Experience
Meta’s new AI tool is new, so there aren’t a lot of personalization options compared to other commercial offerings. However, you can make your AI experience your own. For example, you can use either a “Dark” or “Light” theme by accessing the “Settings” area.
In addition to these settings, you can also personalize your experience by providing feedback on Meta’s responses. If you’re not getting the responses you like, you can click “thumbs down”, which will help the Meta engineers improve. It’s also possible to give a “thumbs up” if you’re happy with the response.
Meta AI has a lot of cool features that make it a powerful tool for projects you may be working on. Here are some of its most notable features.
- Answering questions: Meta AI can process text you submit and answer questions, like any other AI tool. This makes Meta AI a decent (albeit sometimes inaccurate) resource for information retrieval and research.
- Generate text: Like all LLM tools, Meta AI can generate text in many different styles. You can use Meta AI to draft short stories, help you generate marketing text, etc.
- Translate text: Meta AI can translate text, like French, German, and others.
- Generate code: If you’re a programmer, or just trying to learn, you can use Meta AI to generate code. However, you’ll need to be a programmer to be able to debug and test the code it generates, as it isn’t perfect.
- Summarize content: Like Google Gemini, and ChatGPT Plus, you can use Meta AI to summarize content (like a link to an article), taking long pieces of text and condensing them, and making them smaller and easier to read.
- Offer Suggestions: While by no means perfect, Meta AI can work as an advisor. It can offer suggestions for problems you ask it about.
- Play Games: If you’re bored, it is possible to play simple text-based games with Meta AI, such as Hangman, 20 Questions, and Word Jumble.
- Create Images: You can use Meta AI to create artwork via their generative image features.
As with other LLMs, the uses you can find for this technology is limited by your imagination. So take this list of features as a starting point to coming up with your own killer applications.
Meta AI uses Llama 3, the same model anyone can download from Hugging Face with LM Studio or another self-hosted LLM tool. Makes it sound pointless to self-host, right? While there are benefits to using Meta AI, there are also weaknesses. Let’s explore them.
Accessibility
Meta AI is a clear winner when it comes to access. You don’t need an RTX 4090 and an Intel i9 with 64 gigabytes of RAM to get help answering a question about cooking. Meta AI provides immediate access to powerful AI capabilities without needing high-end hardware, making it super convenient for everyday users.
Advanced Features
When it comes to advanced features, self-hosting will always win. Meta AI’s website is very good, and you can accomplish great things with it. However, if you self-host Llama 3, you can:
- Change the Model Temperature: Switch between serious or creative modes based on your needs.
- Combine Models: Mix Llama 3 with other models and interact with both at the same time.
- Tweak Training Parameters: Adjust the training parameters to better suit your specific tasks or preferences.
Self-hosting Llama3 allows for greater customization and flexibility, giving more control over your AI setup.
Making the Choice
It all comes down to what you value most:
- Speed and Simplicity: If you value quick and straightforward access, you’ll want to stick with using Meta AI. It eliminates the need for powerful hardware and complex setup, providing instant access to a robust AI tool.
- Features and Customization: If you value advanced features and customization, self-hosting is the clear winner. It offers unparalleled flexibility and control, allowing you to tailor the model to your specific requirements.
Both Meta AI and self-hosting have their strengths. Meta AI excels in accessibility and ease of use, while self-hosting shines in terms of customization and advanced capabilities. Your decision should be based on what you value most in an AI solution.
Embrace the Future of Home AI
Meta AI provides a powerful glimpse into the future of AI tools. This user-friendly platform, powered by Llama 3, can ignite your creativity through text and image generation. Whether you’re creatively minded or simply curious about AI, Meta AI makes exploring this technology effortless. By using it, you contribute to its development, shaping the future of AI for everyone. Why not give Meta AI a try and see what amazing works of art or writing you can create together?
