A look at Holograms, Meta's take on Apple Vision Pro's Personas, launching with a shoulders-up version this fall for WhatsApp calls on Ray-Ban Display glasses

Your video calls now can feature a realistic AI-generated version of yourself, instead of your live camera feed.

Meta is launching "Holograms," realistic avatars based on generative AI, starting with a shoulders-up version for WhatsApp calls on Ray-Ban Display glasses this fall. This initial release uses audio input from a smartphone app to generate a 2D video stream of the user, including their clothing and background, with server-side processing. A full-body version will arrive with Meta VR Glasses in spring 2027, utilizing headset tracking for more dynamic representations. This version will initially be a stereoscopic 3D video stream, not a true volumetric representation, and may face limitations in detail and movement. Meta plans to evolve Holograms into truly volumetric avatars for VR/AR applications in the future, eventually making them available to developers.

Meta's introduction of Holograms marks a significant step in bridging the gap between real-world appearance and digital representation in communication. By leveraging real-time generative AI, the company aims to overcome the limitations of current cartoonish avatars, offering a more immersive and personalized experience. The phased rollout, beginning with a limited version on smart glasses and progressing to more advanced implementations in VR headsets, suggests a strategic approach to refining the technology and user adoption before a broader release.

The development of Holograms signals a competitive response to platforms like Apple's Personas, highlighting the growing importance of realistic digital identities in the metaverse and extended reality spaces. While the initial implementations showcase impressive progress, Meta acknowledges the need for further advancements, particularly in achieving true volumetric representation and seamless integration with VR/AR environments. The eventual opening of this technology to developers could lead to widespread integration into various virtual experiences, potentially redefining digital social interactions.