Meta AI vs ChatGPT: Key differences that set these two apps apart

Meta has launched a new standalone Meta AI app, built on its latest Llama 4 model, marking a significant move into the competitive world of AI assistants. Designed to be more conversational, personal, and deeply integrated into Meta’s ecosystem, the app is part of the company’s vision for AI that is social, voice-first, and always accessible — whether you’re on Android phone, iPhone or wearing smart glasses. But how does Meta’s new assistant compare to ChatGPT, OpenAI’s widely used AI chatbot powered by GPT-4o? Here are four big differences that set these two AI rivals apart:

1. Voice Capabilities: Meta Goes Full Duplex

While both ChatGPT and Meta AI support voice interaction, Meta is leaning hard into the idea of real-time, natural conversation. The Meta AI app includes a full-duplex speech demo, meaning the assistant can respond without waiting for you to finish speaking — much like a real conversation. It's designed to sound fluid, less robotic, and more responsive.

ChatGPT, on the other hand, supports voice input and output, but still delivers responses in a more traditional turn-based style, where the assistant speaks only after generating a written reply.

2. Search and Shopping: OpenAI’s Stronger Web Integration

OpenAI has recently revamped ChatGPT's search capabilities, with a special focus on online shopping. Users can now search for products, get image-rich recommendations, read reviews, and click through to purchase — all through a simple natural language prompt. This feature is available globally and does not include advertising or sponsored placements.

Meta AI can search the web too, but in its current release, it doesn’t offer real-time data in the full-duplex demo mode. It also doesn’t yet match ChatGPT's structured, metadata-based shopping experience.

3. Personalisation: Meta Leverages Social Graph

Meta’s big advantage is access to your activity across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. The new app can draw on what you’ve shared, liked, or engaged with, to tailor its answers — whether recommending content, helping with tasks, or making travel suggestions. If you’ve linked your accounts in Meta’s Accounts Center, the assistant can use information from multiple platforms.

ChatGPT uses a memory feature that remembers facts you’ve told it (like your name or preferences) to personalise responses over time — but it doesn’t tap into your external online presence, and memory is disabled in the EU and a few other regions due to data privacy laws.

4. Device Ecosystem: Meta AI Lives Everywhere You Chat

Meta AI is deeply embedded across Meta’s platforms — including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and even Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. You can start a conversation in your glasses and continue it on the app or web. A Discover feed also allows users to explore how others are using the assistant, remix prompts, and share ideas.

ChatGPT, while accessible via web and mobile app, does not yet offer native integration into messaging platforms or hardware. It remains a more standalone tool rather than a deeply embedded part of a user’s digital life.