Meta Partners Midjourney to Boost AI Image, Video Models

Meta has come under scrutiny for privacy concerns after reports surfaced that the company may be silently accessing users' camera roll photos without explicit permission to power AI-driven features like personalized creative suggestions. This 'camera roll sharing suggestions' feature is enabled by default in some regions and raises significant privacy issues, though Meta states the data is not used for ad targeting. Meanwhile, Meta is aggressively advancing its AI capabilities through a strategic partnership with Midjourney, licensing the startup's AI image and video generation technology to enhance its AI models and products. Meta’s Chief AI Officer, Alexandr Wang, emphasized a collaborative approach combining top talent, ambitious computing resources, and partnerships to compete with AI leaders such as OpenAI, Google, and Black Forest Lab. This deal complements Meta's existing AI tools like Imagine and Movie Gen, and follows significant investments in AI talent and technology, including a $14 billion investment in Scale AI and acquisition of Play AI. Midjourney remains independently funded, and the partnership is expected to bolster Meta’s competitive position in generative AI across its platforms.