Meta’s AI ambitions are rapidly expanding in India, with WhatsApp leading the charge as the platform boasts a massive 500 million users in the country. Susan Li, Meta’s CFO, recently revealed that India has emerged as the largest market for Meta AI usage, despite the product’s recent launch in the country.
During Meta’s second-quarter earnings call, Li highlighted the significant milestone of Meta AI being used for billions of queries since its inception. She specifically pointed out the success of Meta AI on WhatsApp, noting the high retention and engagement rates that coincided with India’s rise as the top market for Meta AI usage.
While Meta initially introduced Meta AI in the United States last year across various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and the web, the company faced challenges when expanding to the Indian market. Cultural nuances required adjustments, with reports surfacing in May about Meta AI-generated images of Indian men predominantly wearing turbans.
Moreover, in July, users raised concerns about Meta AI generating jokes about one religion while neglecting others. Meta responded by refining its algorithm to ensure fairness in generating content, including religious jokes. The company also extended language support beyond English to include French, German, Hindi, Hindi-Romanized Script, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, making Meta AI accessible in 22 countries.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, emphasized the need for increased computing power to train the next Llama 4 model, estimating nearly 10 times the computing power required compared to training the Llama 3 model. Despite the focus on AI development, Meta has also observed positive trends in its social networks, with Threads approaching nearly 200 million users and Facebook gaining traction among young adults in the U.S.
In summary, Meta’s AI endeavors in India have proven fruitful, with WhatsApp driving significant usage and engagement. The company continues to refine its AI algorithms to cater to diverse cultural backgrounds and expand language support to enhance user experience globally. As Meta anticipates the launch of the Llama 4 model, the future of AI development remains a key focus for the tech giant.