Recently, Meta is testing a new type of chatbot that will proactively send messages to users, rather than just responding after users initiate a conversation. Imagine you're chatting with a friend on Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, and suddenly an AI chatbot named "The Maestro of Movie Magic" sends you a message: "Hope your day is going well! I'd like to know if you've discovered any new movie soundtracks or composers recently? Or would you like me to recommend some great movies for your next movie night?"
According to leaked documents, Meta has partnered with the data labeling company Alignerr to develop these customizable chatbots. Users can create their own chatbots on Meta's AI Studio platform, and these bots can remember user preferences and follow up actively within 14 days. This means that if a user has sent at least five messages to a chatbot in the past two weeks, the bot will proactively reach out based on previous conversations.
Image credit note: The image was generated by AI, and the image licensing service is Midjourney.
Meta says that such features can help users explore topics they are interested in more deeply and have more meaningful interactions with AI. Users can also choose to set their chatbots to private or showcase them through social media stories, direct links, or even on their Facebook or Instagram profiles.
Although this technology makes human-AI interactions more vivid, it also comes with some potential risks. Similar AI startups like Character.AI have recently faced lawsuits due to tragic incidents caused by their chatbots. Meta's security measures remain unclear, although the company mentioned that chatbots are not professionals and cannot replace professional advice in areas such as medical, psychological, or legal fields.
As Meta tries to address people's loneliness through this new technology, its underlying motives may go beyond that. Meta also expects its generative AI products to bring significant revenue in the future, with projected revenues of $2 billion to $3 billion by 2025.
Meta is striving to attract user attention and increase interaction through innovative chatbots, and the commercial considerations behind this are equally important.
