Meta has entered into a partnership with Midjourney to license its aesthetic technology for integration into its own models and products. This announcement was made by Alexandr Wang, Meta’s newly appointed chief AI officer, on Friday. Wang indicated that the collaboration encompasses a technical partnership between the research teams of both companies, implying a comprehensive exchange beyond merely utilizing Midjourney’s current offerings across Meta’s platforms.
Wang did not disclose specific terms related to the partnership, while Meta’s spokesperson Ashley Gabriel referred to Wang’s posts without providing additional comments. Midjourney has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the collaboration.
Meta has ramped up its investments in AI initiatives, particularly in developing so-called “superintelligence” to compete with major players like OpenAI and Google. Mark Zuckerberg has actively sought to recruit top AI talent from other companies, offering substantial financial incentives. Wang himself was brought on board after Meta’s $14.3 billion acquisition of a 49% stake in Scale AI, which he co-founded.
The collaboration with Midjourney is aligned with Meta’s ambitions to enhance AI-generated imagery within its various services. Their recently launched Meta AI app features a feed of AI-generated content, and the platform has introduced a tool for creating AI images directly in Facebook posts. Additionally, WhatsApp and Instagram users will also have access to AI image generation capabilities in their chats.
Midjourney has gained recognition for its advanced tools in AI image and video generation. As Meta enhances features such as the social feed within its Meta AI app, the integration of Midjourney’s technology could significantly improve the aesthetics of photos and videos produced on its platforms.
In expressing enthusiasm about this partnership, Wang noted, “We are incredibly impressed by Midjourney. They have achieved remarkable feats of technical and aesthetic excellence, and we are excited to collaborate more closely.” Both companies plan to unveil further details about their partnership in the near future.
Despite this partnership, Midjourney continues to operate independently as a community-supported research lab with no external investors, as stated by founder and CEO David Holz.
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