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# Meta Acquires Play AI to Power Next‑Gen Voice AI Across Its Platforms
- URL: https://www.theleftshift.com/meta-acquires-play-ai-to-power-next-gen-voice-ai-across-its-platforms/
- Published: 2025-07-14T06:16:02.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-14T06:18:17.000Z
- Description: The full Play AI team is expected to join Meta next week.
- Author: The Left Shift Bureau
- Tags: Acquisition, Big Tech

Meta has officially acquired **Play AI**, a U.S.-based voice cloning and AI speech startup, as part of an aggressive push into voice-driven artificial intelligence, according to[ reports](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-11/meta-acquires-voice-ai-startup-playai-continuing-to-add-talent?ref=theleftshift.com).

Play AI’s flagship capabilities include low-latency, multilingual text-to-speech, voice cloning, and voice agent APIs designed for real-time conversational apps across digital platforms. The startup supports over 30 languages and offers human-like voice generation ideal for customer service bots and content creation.

Meta has identified Play AI’s tech as a “great match” for its growing AI ecosystem—which includes Meta AI, smart glasses, and AI Characters—and aligns with its [$14.3 billion investment in Scale AI](https://www.theleftshift.com/meta-eyes-massive-10-bn-deal-with-scale-ai-to-boost-its-ai-ambitions/). Though financial terms were not disclosed, analysts estimate the acquisition was valued at approximately $45 million.

The full Play AI team is expected to join Meta next week, reporting to Johan Schalkwyk, a former Google speech expert now leading voice initiatives at Meta.

This move reinforces Meta’s strategy of embedding voice as a core interface across its products. Integrating Play AI’s voice tools could bring lifelike speech to WhatsApp, Instagram, AR/VR wearables, and the Superintelligence Lab’s future offerings.

Meta’s acquisition spree, including talent from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Apple, highlights a broader trend: securing[ specialised AI teams to build multimodal, voice-first technologies](https://www.theleftshift.com/meet-the-8-asian-ai-aces-on-metas-new-superintelligence-squad/)to . The addition of Play AI accelerates Meta’s bid to lead in speech-based AI innovation.