Meta partners with Midjourney to enhance AI image generation on Facebook, WhatsApp

Meta is partnering with Midjourney to license its “aesthetic technology” for use in Meta’s AI models and products, the company’s new chief AI officer Alexandr Wang announced on Friday. The collaboration involves technical cooperation between research teams and represents Meta’s continued push to enhance AI-generated imagery across its platforms, from Facebook posts to WhatsApp chats.

What you should know: The partnership goes beyond simply integrating Midjourney’s existing tools into Meta’s services.

• Wang described it as a “technical collaboration between our research teams,” suggesting deeper integration of Midjourney’s image generation capabilities into Meta’s AI infrastructure.
• Neither company disclosed specific terms of the arrangement, and Midjourney didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
• The deal ties directly into Meta’s AI imagery goals across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and its Meta AI app, which is built around a feed of AI-generated content.

The big picture: Meta has been investing heavily in AI “superintelligence” efforts to compete with rivals like OpenAI and Google.

• Mark Zuckerberg has personally worked to recruit AI researchers with massive offers, including Wang himself, who joined Meta after the company paid $14.3 billion to acquire 49% of Scale AI, his co-founded company.
• Meta has already integrated AI image generation features across its platforms, including a button to create AI images when making Facebook posts and options within WhatsApp and Instagram chats.

Why this matters: Midjourney’s reputation for high-quality AI image and video generation could significantly enhance Meta’s visual content capabilities.

• As Meta builds out features like the Meta AI app’s social feed, Midjourney’s technology could help users create better-looking photos and videos.
• The partnership positions Meta to compete more effectively in the AI-generated content space while maintaining Midjourney’s independence.

What they’re saying: Wang praised Midjourney’s technical achievements in his announcement.

• “We are incredibly impressed by Midjourney,” Wang said. “They have accomplished true feats of technical and aesthetic excellence, and we are thrilled to be working more closely with them.”
• Midjourney founder and CEO David Holz emphasized that despite the partnership, his company remains “an independent, community-backed research lab” with “no investors.”
• Both companies plan to share more details about their collaboration “soon.”