Chatbot Innovation: Meta's Approach to Keeping Users Plugged In
The innovation will keep users engaged, even when they don’t message first.
Got a message to send? What if you received one out of the blue? Mata is working on something that will see users get messages from an AI chatbot.
New Tool
“I hope you’re having a harmonious day!” it writes. “I wanted to check in and see if you’ve discovered any new favorite soundtracks or composers recently. Or perhaps you’d like some recommendations for your next movie night? Let me know, and I’ll be happy to help!”
These are real examples of what a sample AI persona named “The Maestro of Movie Magic” might send as a proactive message on Messenger, WhatsApp, or Instagram, per guidelines from data labeling firm Alignerr that Business Insider viewed.
The outlet learned through leaked documents that Meta is working with Alignerr to train customizable chatbots to reach out to users unprompted and follow up on any past conversations. That means the bots, which users can create in Meta’s AI Studio platform, also remember information about users.
Working Parts
The AI chatbots will only send follow-ups within 14 days after a user initiates a conversation and if the user has sent at least five messages to the bot within that time frame. Meta says the chatbots won’t keep messaging if there’s no response to the first follow-up. Users can keep their bots private or share them through stories, direct links, and even display them on a Facebook or Instagram profile.
“This allows you to continue exploring topics of interest and engage in more meaningful conversations with the AIs across our apps,” a Meta spokesperson said.
The technology is similar to that offered by AI startups like Character.AI and Replika. Both companies allow their chatbots to initiate conversations and ask questions in order to function as AI companions. Character.AI’s new CEO, Karandeep Anand, joined the team last month after serving as Meta’s VP of business products.
