【环球网科技综合报道】8月29日消息，据外媒Engadget报道，Meta 元宇宙平台的开发者很快就能为 Horizon Worlds 创建 AI 驱动的非玩家角色（ NPC）。 Meta预告了这一举措，称该举措将"很快"作为开发者更新的一部分推出，为开发者添加新的生成式 AI 工具。 来源：环球网 外媒称，功能上线后，开发者将能够使用 Meta 的 Worlds Desktop Editor 创建NPC，这些NPC能够通过 语音聊天与玩家进行"逼真"对话。 对于玩家来说，这意味着他们遇到的NPC将能够更加生动地互动，并对特定的互动作出反应，而不仅仅 是依赖脚本化的响应。Meta在一篇博客文章中分享了一个视频，展示了开发者如何自定义角色的外 观，并创建背景故事和指令，以决定角色如何响应玩家。 外媒表示，此次更新是 Meta 稳步推进其AI 与元宇宙愿景的最新举措。鉴于其 Connect 活动即将在几周 后举行，我们很有可能很快听到更多关于生成式 AI 如何改变 Meta 虚拟世界的消息。（思瀚） ...

Core Insights - Meta has unveiled two significant prototype devices, Boba 3 and Tiramisu, aimed at enhancing ultra-wide field of view and ultra-realistic VR experiences [15] - xReality's subsidiary, Operator XR, secured a contract worth 5.71 million AUD (approximately 26.77 million RMB) to provide a VR police training system in Texas [3] - Apple CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed the company's strong commitment to the visionOS platform, with visionOS 26 set to introduce major new features [16] Industry Dynamics - xReality Group's Operator XR has signed a contract with the Texas Department of Public Safety for a VR police training system valued at 5.71 million AUD [3] - A collaborative research team from multiple universities has developed a technology called "You Only Render Once" (YORO), which significantly improves mobile VR performance, increasing frame rates from 62 FPS to 82 FPS, a 32% increase [5] - Google DeepMind launched Genie 3, a generative AI model capable of creating interactive 3D virtual environments from simple text inputs, potentially revolutionizing VR content creation [8] - Red 6 partnered with Northrop Grumman to integrate its advanced tactical augmented reality system into the Beacon platform for military air combat training [9] Company Developments - Meta has integrated an AI assistant called Creator Assistant into its Horizon Worlds desktop editor, streamlining the development process for users [6] - Snap reported a 9% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 2025, with active users reaching 932 million, an increase of 7 million [11] - Vuzix received a six-figure order for its M400 smart glasses to support warehouse automation for a global top 100 retail client [17] - Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that individuals not wearing AI-enabled smart glasses will face significant cognitive disadvantages in the future [19] Gaming News - The first WebXR game, "Elysian," has launched on the Meta Horizon store, providing a new exposure opportunity for WebXR developers [22] - The new VR puzzle game "UnLoop" is set to release on September 5, 2025, compatible with Meta Quest and PICO platforms [23] - The immersive VR sandbox game "Marble Mechanics" will soon be available on the Meta Store, priced at $14.99 [25] - The highly anticipated VR action game "Arken Age" will be released on Meta Quest 3/3S in November, ensuring consistent content and performance across platforms [26]

Core Insights - Meta Platforms has completed the acquisition of AI voice cloning company Play AI, which is seen as a strategic move to enhance its generative AI capabilities [1][3] - Play AI, founded in 2021, specializes in deep learning-based voice cloning technology that can replicate human voices with high fidelity and supports real-time multilingual conversion [3][4] - The acquisition allows Meta to integrate Play AI's technology into its AI infrastructure, enhancing voice interaction features across its products, including Horizon Worlds, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and WhatsApp [3][4] Market Context - The global AI voice market is projected to reach $12.7 billion in 2024 and exceed $45 billion by 2030, indicating significant growth potential in this sector [4] - Meta's acquisition of Play AI provides access to 17 related patents and an engineering team, enabling the company to avoid the time costs associated with in-house development [4] - This acquisition is part of Meta's broader strategy to build a multimodal AI capability, having previously acquired companies focused on AI image generation and natural language processing [4]

Core Insights - Dan Reed, COO of Meta's Reality Labs, is stepping down after nearly 11 years, highlighting ongoing leadership changes amid internal and external pressures [1][2] - Reed described Reality Labs as a "fast-growing, multibillion-dollar consumer technology business" focused on AI wearables, augmented reality, and the metaverse [1] - Meta has restructured Reality Labs, integrating it more closely with its core business, reversing a previous standalone focus on the metaverse [3][4] Company Developments - Reed's departure follows a major restructuring of Reality Labs, with sales, marketing, and analytics teams now reporting to broader Meta leadership [3][4] - Meta COO Javier Olivan has taken over the teams previously led by Reed, aligning other Reality Labs leaders with top executives [4] - Despite a reported 40% year-over-year sales increase in 2024, Reality Labs has incurred over $60 billion in losses since 2020, indicating ongoing financial challenges [5][6] Future Outlook - Meta's chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, emphasized that 2025 is a critical year for Reality Labs, with the potential to validate or undermine years of investment in the metaverse [7]