Meta Unveils Holograms, Bringing Star Wars Tech to Life

At Meta Connect 2026, the company introduced a major digital avatar system, dubbed Holograms. This marked a significant leap in quality compared to its predecessors.

During the demo, the author underwent a 60-second scan to be used on Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses and standard WhatsApp calls, which set up the system efficiently.

The app then guided the author to turn their head in various directions and respond to questions aloud to learn their mannerisms. Resulting in uncanny and even slightly unsettling results.

The initial 60-second scan is followed by a 5-10 minute server-side processing time. There, Meta AI creates a personalized model of the user's imagery for Hologram-friendly apps.

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For the demo, the author utilized Meta VR Glasses, providing full-color passthrough video to see the room around them. Calls normally appear in a floating window, displaying the same Hologram as would be seen on a phone.

When the full person button is tapped, the call window disappears, and the person materializes in front of the user, with accurate height and proportions, creating a real-life hologram that convincingly moves in sync with the person's voice and inflection.

Holograms are part of the Meta ecosystem and can be integrated into various apps via an API. This enables the potential for Holograms to appear in more than just WhatsApp or Meta VR products in the near future.

Meta has been working on this technology for years, initially referring to it as "codec avatars" before renaming it for the final release.

The introduction of Holograms has significant implications for the future of communication and interaction. Potentially revolutionizing the way we connect with each other.

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As Holograms become more widespread, users can expect to see more seamless and immersive experiences, with the potential for new applications and use cases emerging in the near future.

The Hologram system utilizes a combination of advanced technologies. This includes AI-powered processing and 3D spatial rendering, to create highly realistic and interactive avatars.

Further details on the technical specifications and capabilities of the Hologram system are expected to be revealed in the coming months. As Meta continues to refine and improve this major technology.