Meta Introduces AI Version of Mark Zuckerberg

Employees at Meta will soon have the chance to interact with a virtual replica of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, according to a report released on Monday.

Named Zack, this AI-driven digital clone aims to present a “photorealistic” version of Zuckerberg, mimicking his unique mannerisms, voice, and style. A source familiar with the situation disclosed to The Financial Times that the 41-year-old billionaire is actively involved in creating this AI counterpart, which can echo his public statements and recent thoughts on corporate strategy.

The initiative reportedly aims to help employees feel a stronger connection to Zuckerberg.

Representatives from Meta did not provide a comment for the FT article, and The Post did not receive an immediate response to a request for further information.

The Zuckerberg clone is just one of several AI characters being developed at Meta, though details about additional characters remain unclear.

Reactions online have been mixed. Many commenters jested about the tech giant’s tendency for awkwardness in public, with one user noting that using the AI version might be “less weird than using the real version.”

Another commented, “This sounds like a horror movie. You’re at work, but Zack the robot has to make all the decisions.”

Some expressed discomfort with the idea of a digital Zuckerberg, with one user reflecting it made them want to “hide in the forest and live like a hobbit.”

This isn’t Zuckerberg’s first venture into the digital realm; he previously unveiled a personal avatar in 2022, as part of Meta’s entrance into the Metaverse, which faced heavy criticism online.

This current project is distinct from his earlier attempt to create a focused AI model, known as CEO Agent, to assist with his responsibilities, which was reported last month by The Wall Street Journal.

Zuckerberg is reportedly dedicating five to ten hours a week to code related to Meta’s AI initiatives.

Meta has announced plans to invest up to $135 billion this year in advancing its AI developments, in order to compete with other tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

Should Facebook and Instagram’s parent company decide to roll out AI characters to the public, they might encounter significant scrutiny, particularly from online safety advocates. Last year, the company faced backlash over internal guidelines that permitted AI chatbots to have “romantic or sensual” conversations with minors.

In January, Meta stated it would halt interactions between its AI characters and teenagers “until a modern experience is ready.”