Meta just announced a new AI translation tool that will allow you to watch Facebook and Instagram reels recorded in different languages, translated into your own.
Taking to the stage at Meta Connect 2024, Mark Zuckerberg revealed a whole host of new Meta AI features and one of the coolest is a work-in-progress that could change the way we all consume portrait video on social media.
Meta says the AI translation tool will automatically translate the audio of Reels, so you can enjoy content that’s been recorded in a different language. The tool uses automatic dubbing and lip syncing to ‘simulate the speaker’s voice in another language and sync their lips to match.’
The company is currently conducting small tests on its social media platforms where it’s translating Reels from English and Spanish for creators based in Latin America and the US — Meta plans to expand to more languages and creators in the future.
Language barrier? What language barrier?
Meta put a lot of focus on AI at Meta Connect 2024, introducing loads of new AI features across its social media platforms, but the new AI translation tool is one of the most exciting, and could see the way we consume Instagram and Facebook Reels completely change. By automatically translating content and making it appear natural with dubbing and lip syncing, there could be a future where you get access to content from other countries in your Instagram algorithm that’s easily watchable without subtitles.
As Meta tries to emphasize Instagram’s prowess as a portrait video platform against its rivals like TikTok, this new AI translation tool could prompt creators to opt for Meta’s platform due to its wider reach across multiple regions and languages.
Meta also announced a new voice mode for Meta AI, which will roll out to US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand over the next month.