According to a report from the Financial Times, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, intends to release artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots with human-like personalities as part of its efforts to retain users.
The Financial Times reported on August 1 that prototypes of chatbots are currently being developed, with the final products able to conduct human-like conversations with users.
According to the report, various chatbots capable of displaying distinct characteristics will be released as early as next month.
According to sources close to the situation, Meta employees have dubbed the chatbots “personas,” these bots assume the form of various characters.
A second source with knowledge of the company’s intentions, the company has already tested a bot that mimics former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and a bot that provides travel advice by simulating a surfer.
According to sources cited in the FT report, the purpose of chatbots will be to provide recommendations and new search functionality, as well as to be a “fun product for people to play with.”
A source for the Financial Times stated that the company may automate checks on the outputs of chatbots to ensure accuracy and prevent rule-breaking speech.
This development comes as a result of Meta’s endeavors to retain users. On July 26, 2023, during Meta’s second-quarter earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed the company’s newest product and Twitter competitor, Threads.
He stated that “more people are returning daily than I anticipated.” Zuckerberg added that Meta’s primary focus was on retaining Threads users. In addition, the earnings call disclosed an additional $3.7 billion invested in metaverse development.
Introducing accessible chatbots enables the collection of vast quantities of user data. OpenAI, the creator of the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, has been struck with a class-action lawsuit alleging that its bots have been stealing data.
