Meta Platforms has officially launched a new stand-alone artificial intelligence app, signaling a direct challenge to ChatGPT creator OpenAI and intensifying the competition among tech giants in the AI space. Built on Meta’s proprietary Llama AI model, the new digital assistant is designed to be more than just a chatbot—it comes with a Discover feed that highlights how users are engaging with the tool and suggests prompts to enhance interactions.

The move positions Meta squarely among the front-runners in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, where companies like Google, xAI, and Anthropic are also racing to stake their claims. Meta’s latest app joins the ranks of Gemini from Google and Grok from Elon Musk’s xAI, both of which have already launched their own stand-alone AI products.

Meta previously integrated its AI assistant into core services like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, replacing traditional search features with AI-driven tools. That integration has seen rapid adoption; by January 2025, Meta AI had reached around 700 million monthly active users—up from 600 million the previous month. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stated he expects Meta AI to be the most widely used AI assistant by the end of the year, reaching over a billion people.

The company’s unveiling of the app coincides with its inaugural LlamaCon developer event at its Menlo Park, California, headquarters. The event spotlights Meta’s investment in the Llama family of AI models and comes as the company prepares to report its first-quarter earnings. Investors are watching closely to determine whether Meta’s AI initiatives—backed by an expected $65 billion in infrastructure spending this year—are translating into meaningful business gains.

As the AI arms race escalates, Meta’s stand-alone app marks a significant step forward in its strategy to dominate the space. With personalized, generative capabilities and a growing user base, Meta is aiming to make its AI assistant a central part of everyday digital life.