Meta is gearing up to enter the AI chatbot arena, potentially launching its own set of chatbots by September to compete with the likes of ChatGPT, Bard, and Bing Chat. According to insider sources cited in a report by Financial Times, the company aims to deliver an advanced chatbot experience capable of engaging in “humanlike discussions” with users. This move comes shortly after Meta’s public release of its Llama-V2 large language model.
The forthcoming AI chatbots from Meta will boast distinct personalities, including one modeled after Abraham Lincoln. However, Meta’s ambitions extend beyond providing mere digital companionship; the company intends for these chatbots to be useful and supportive tools. As an example, one of the chatbots currently undergoing testing is designed to assist users with travel-related queries.
The tech giant is developing a series of AI bot prototypes, each having a unique human-like persona, as reported by the Financial Times on Tuesday. These chatbots are part of the company’s efforts to increase engagement on its social media platforms, according to insiders familiar with the plans.
Apart from the chatbot inspired by a former US president, the California-based company is also exploring a chatbot with a surfer-style persona, which will provide travel advice. These chatbots, internally referred to as ‘personas’ by Meta employees, are aimed at introducing a new search function and offering recommendations.
Mark Zuckerberg leads the company’s efforts to stand out in this field. According to the report, the chatbots aim to bring a new search function and offer suggestions. Nevertheless, their main purpose seems to be providing delightful companionship on social media instead of assisting with demanding work tasks like coding.
Last week, the parent company of Facebook announced a significant increase in advertising revenue, and it has projected third-quarter revenue that exceeds market expectations.
Following a challenging 2022, Meta has been making a recovery, boosted by the excitement surrounding emerging AI technology and a cost-cutting effort that led to a reduction of approximately 21,000 employees since the previous autumn.
In July, Meta introduced Llama 2, a new version of its open-source AI model designed for commercial use. Microsoft will be distributing Llama 2 through its Azure cloud service, and it will be compatible with the Windows operating system.
In July, Bloomberg News revealed that Apple is developing AI products akin to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. The company has developed its own framework named ‘Ajax’ to build large language models. Moreover, Apple is currently testing a chatbot referred to by some engineers as ‘Apple GPT’.
Earlier in June, speculations about an ‘AI Chat’ feature surfaced when app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi shared screenshots of a new tool on Instagram. This tool allows users to interact with up to 30 different AI chatbots, enabling them to ask questions and seek advice.
With a massive user base of approximately 4 billion users spanning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Meta has a vast audience eager to embrace its AI chatbot offerings. In one stroke, Meta could surpass its competitors, who may take months or even years to achieve a comparable reach. Moreover, there’s already a precedent for deploying AI chatbots within Meta’s services.
For instance, WhatsApp already hosts multiple ChatGPT bots, some of which combine ChatGPT’s conversational skills with OpenAI’s Dall-E image generator’s artistic capabilities. The ultimate goal is to transition these chatbots from social media and communication platforms to the metaverse.