Meta Platforms has officially released LLaMA 4, its most sophisticated AI model family to date, marking a significant leap forward in voice-powered artificial intelligence technology.
Launched in April 2025, LLaMA 4 introduces two primary models: Scout and Maverick, with a third more powerful model called Behemoth still in development. These models employ a mixture-of-experts architecture, allowing them to process and integrate various types of data including text, images, audio, and video, while supporting multiple languages.
What sets LLaMA 4 apart is its advanced voice capabilities. Meta's chief product officer Chris Cox described it as an "omni model" that natively interprets and generates speech rather than simply converting voice to text. The system allows for natural, flowing conversations where users can even interrupt the AI mid-speech – similar to human interaction. This full-duplex voice technology enables the AI to generate speech directly instead of just reading text aloud.
The business implications are substantial. Meta is targeting customer service applications, where LLaMA 4 can handle customer conversations, provide support, and process transactions. The company is already testing business-focused AI agents powered by the technology. Additionally, Meta AI – the consumer-facing assistant built on LLaMA 4 – has attracted 600 million monthly users globally, despite not being available in the European Union due to regulatory concerns.
Meta's investment in AI has been massive, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing plans to spend up to $65 billion in 2025 to bolster its AI offerings. This push comes as Meta competes with other tech giants like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google in the race to commercialize AI technology.
The release of LLaMA 4 represents Meta's vision of the future of AI interaction. As language models become more conversational, the company expects users will shift from typing to speaking with their AI assistants. Meta has already launched a standalone Meta AI app designed around voice conversations, currently available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with plans for global expansion.