Ahead of the Curve: Meta Quest 3 Embraces AI First, Outpacing Apple's Vision Pro

Ahead of the Curve: Meta Quest 3 Embraces AI First, Outpacing Apple’s Vision Pro | Activation Tips Revealed

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

The Meta Quest 3 headset is getting a big feature before its more expensive counterpart , the Apple Vision Pro.

Less than a month after Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on a version of Apple Intelligence for its Vision Pro headset, Meta has announced that its Quest 3 headset is getting Meta AI .

Also: Meta Quest 3 review: The VR headset most people should buy in 2024

Soon, Meta’s announcement says, “you’ll be able to get answers to a wide range of questions with real-time information thanks to Bing.” In addition, Meta AI with Vision will be part of the update. This means that you’ll be able to ask questions about your surroundings while wearing the headset.

With Meta AI, your Quest 3 headset can see people, objects, and more and – provide more information about them, much like Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses . You’ll be able to look at a sign and have it translated, get fashion tips, find info on a landmark or portrait, and more.

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The Quest 2 will not be getting the feature because it lacks color passthrough.

In a video demo , a Quest 3 user holds up a pair of black-and-white patterned shorts and asks Meta AI for help finding a matching T-shirt. Meta suggests a black, white, gray, or pastel-colored shirt.

If you’re watching a YouTube video to plan a vacation, for example, you might ask Meta AI how to dress for a vacation to that area or for nearby restaurant recommendations. If you’re listening to music while completing school work on a virtual monitor, Meta says, you might ask Meta AI for some memorable Shakespeare quotes and an explanation of their significance.

Also: Stanford’s VR breakthrough could spell the end of clunky headsets - thanks to AI

Meta AI with Vision will only work in passthrough mode for the experimental version of Meta AI. Virtual objects will not be recognized, Meta said.

Meta AI on the Quest 3 will start rolling out next month in the US and Canada in experimental mode. When it does, you’ll need to enable it. To do this, head to your settings menu, then go to “Experimental,” and toggle the feature on.