Facebook’s parent company, Meta, may be preparing to launch a new range of chatbots with distinct personalities, potentially as early as next month.
The bots aim to boost user engagement and provide innovative search functions and recommendations on Meta’s platforms.
The big tech company is exploring a variety of “personas.” One is rumored to be a bot that emulates the speaking style of Abraham Lincoln. Another adopts a surfer’s demeanor to provide travel advice.
The latest AI initiative, reported by the Financial Times, arrives as Meta faces competition from social media platforms like Snapchat My AI.
Chat 30 AI Personalities
AI agents for Meta’s top social platforms were likely developed by the top-level product group focusing on generative AI, announced earlier this year by Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO.
“Over the longer term, we’ll focus on developing AI personas that can help people in a variety of ways. We’re exploring experiences with text (like chat in WhatsApp and Messenger), with images (like creative Instagram filters and ad formats), and with video and multi-modal experiences.”
During an interview, Zuckerberg hinted at future AI agents who can be assistants and coaches. He emphasized that there won’t be a single AI entity with which people interact.
The hint aligned with a possible screenshot of AI chatbots on Instagram, shared by mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi in June.
#Instagram is working on bringing AI Agents (Bots 🤖) to your chats for a more fun and engaging experience 👀
ℹ️ AI Agents will be able to answer questions and give advice.
You’ll be able to choose from 30 different personalities. pic.twitter.com/4eWLBbvs8w— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) June 5, 2023
Privacy Concerns
The move to implement AI chatbots across Meta platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp raises privacy concerns.
Notably, these chatbots will likely collect new troves of user data, enabling Meta to deliver more personalized content and advertisements. It’s a critical factor, considering that a significant portion of Meta’s $117 billion annual revenue comes from advertising.
Screenshot from App Store, August 2023Recent Meta AI Developments
For transparency, Meta recently shared 22 system cards explaining how AI ranks content throughout Facebook and Instagram. These cards give insight into how Meta social platform users benefit from AI algorithms.
Meta also released the latest version of its large language model, Llama 2, in partnership with Microsoft. The open-source LLM is free for commercial and research use, opening the door to many more applications of AI in business and marketing tools.
The Future Of Personalized Marketing
With Meta AI chatbots offering a wide range of engagement experiences, marketers may need to rethink their approach to personalized marketing.
We contacted Meta for comment on how the upcoming launch of AI chatbots could affect how businesses engage with customers.
As more people access AI chatbots through popular social platforms, like Snapchat’s My AI, consumers will come to expect access to 24/7 conversational AI assistance.
This will likely drive more marketers to implement AI chatbots to ensure customers are not slipping through the cracks due to simple, unanswered questions.
Experience AI Chat On Instagram, Messenger, And WhatsApp
Want to see what AI chatbots inside the top Meta platforms are like?
Inflection.ai lets users chat with its AI personal assistant on Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
Screenshot from Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, August 2023Although Pi may not offer many different personas, it provides a glimpse into the AI-powered experience that Meta will soon incorporate into its platforms and messaging systems.
Featured image: salarko/Shutterstock