Meta’s AI chatbots could go live by September

Meta is expected to launch a selection of chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in the near future, the Financial Times said on July 31.

The newspaper’s sources said that Meta is preparing to release those AI-powered chatbots to the public as early as September. The AI chatbots are designed to simulate human-like interactions and portray unique characters. For instance, one chatbot mimics the persona of Abraham Lincoln, while another provides travel tips in a surfer’s style.

Meta aims to leverage these AI chatbots to bolster user engagement across its social media platforms, which boast about 4 billion users. The firm owns Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, though the Financial Times did not indicate which apps may support the feature.

The chatbots will provide information such as search results and recommendations but will also be a “fun product,” according to FT‘s sources.

Outside observers have raised concerns about the potential for these chatbots to gather user data for targeted advertising, sparking debates about privacy implications. The Financial Times‘ main sources did not suggest this, and the paper said that Meta declined to comment on the matter officially.

AI chatbots gaining traction

Meta is just one of many companies that are providing similar services. While OpenAI’s ChatGPT is undoubtedly the best-known AI chatbot, Character.ai specifically provides chatbots with multiple character styles, much like Meta’s apparent plans. Others, such as Snapchat, have introduced chatbots integrated with a social media platform.

Meta itself is also pursuing broader AI efforts. The company discussed speech generation AI tools, advertising AI tools, and AI chips this year. It commercially released its Llama 2 model and hinted at the upcoming consumer chatbots in June. All of those developments go toward building the company’s social media empire.

Beyond social media, AI chatbots are finding applications in diverse fields, particularly in the cryptocurrency industry. Several crypto ventures, including Avalanche, Solana, Binance, and Crypto.com have adopted AI chatbots for specific functions, as well.

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