Meta Acquires AI Voice Startup WaveForms to Bolster Superintelligence Labs

Meta has acquired WaveForms, an AI audio startup specializing in hyper-realistic voice technology, for an undisclosed amount. The deal marks Meta’s second major AI audio acquisition in a month, following its purchase of PlayAI, and will strengthen the company’s newly formed Superintelligence Labs division.

Founded eight months ago, WaveForms raised $40 million from Andreessen Horowitz at a $160 million pre-money valuation. Co-founders Alexis Conneau, formerly of Meta and OpenAI, and Coralie Lemaitre, a former Google advertising strategist, have joined Meta. WaveForms’ work centered on solving the “Speech Turing Test” and developing “Emotional General Intelligence,” aimed at creating AI speech indistinguishable from human conversation and capable of nuanced emotional understanding.