Meta is deploying AI-powered voice translation capabilities worldwide for all Facebook and Instagram users, the company announced Tuesday.
New features available in any market where Meta AI is available allow creators to convert content to other languages, allowing more viewers to see it.
This feature was first announced at Meta's Connect Developer Conference last year. The company said it will test automatic translation of creator voices on both Facebook and Instagram on reels.
Meta points out that AI translations use the sound and tone of the creator's own voice to ensure that content is authentic when translating into a new language.
Additionally, creators can optionally use the lip sync feature to match the translation to the lip movement. This makes it look more natural.
Image credits: Meta
At launch, this feature supports translation from English to Spanish and vice versa, adding more languages over time. These AI translations are available to Facebook creators with over 1,000 followers on Meta AI and all public Instagram accounts.
To access the options, creators can click “Translating Voices with Meta AI” before publishing the reel. Creators can toggle buttons to turn on translation and choose whether to include lip sync. Click “Share Now” to publish the reel and the translation will be automatically available.
Creators can view translations and lip syncs before they are published, allowing them to switch between any options at any time. (Refusing to translate does not affect the original reel.) Viewers who are viewing the translated reel will see a notification at the bottom indicating that it has been translated in Meta AI. If you don't want to see reels translated in the selected language, you can disable this in the Settings menu.
Image credits: Meta
Creators also access new metrics in their insights panel. There you can see views of each language. This will help you better understand how their content is reaching new audiences through translation. This is more useful as additional languages are supported over time.
Meta is recommended by creators who want to use the feature forward, speak clearly and avoid covering their mouths when recording. Minimal background noise and music are also useful. This feature only supports up to two speakers and should not be discussed with each other for translation to work.
Additionally, Facebook creators can upload up to 20 unique dubbed audio tracks to the reel to expand their audience beyond the English and Spanish markets. This is provided in the “Closed Captions and Translations” section of the META business suite, unlike AI features, which supports adding translations both before and after publication.
Image credits: Meta
Meta says more languages will be supported in the future, but did not elaborate on which languages will come or when.
“We believe there are a lot of amazing creators with potential audiences who don't necessarily speak the same language,” explained Instagram head Adam Mosseri in an Instagram post. “And if we can help you to speak other languages and reach an audience that reaches cultural and linguistic barriers, we can help you grow your followers and get more value from Instagram and the platform.”
The launch of the AI feature is because multiple reports show that META is restructuring its AI group and focusing on four key areas: research, emergency, product and infrastructure.