The Meta Game: Facebook’s New Play
When was the last time you logged into Facebook? If you’re like many, it’s been a while. But Meta, Facebook’s parent company, isn’t sitting idly by. They’re about to launch AI-powered chatbots, aiming to lure users back to the platform, according to the Financial Times. And they’re not stopping there; AI agents in the Metaverse are on the horizon.
Virtual Companions: Filling the Void
Your estranged aunt and lonely grandpa are about to be joined by virtual friends. These chatbots are designed to chat with billions of users in a lifelike way, taking on various personas. Imagine an Abraham Lincoln AI teaching you about the abolition of slavery or a travel advisor guiding you to the best surfing destinations.
Relevance Battle: A Platform for “Old People”?
Will this be enough to bring back those who left Facebook years ago? The platform has been dismissed by young people as irrelevant, and they’ve moved on to Instagram and TikTok. Facebook is fighting to maintain relevancy, but active users aren’t the most pressing issue; the company recently announced a modest increase to 2.064 billion daily active users.
Catching Up: AI Chatbots and the Bigger Picture
Introducing AI chatbots is likely an attempt to catch up with competitors in the AI space. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, sees “incredible breakthroughs” in generative AI as an opportunity to build into every product. And they’re not starting from scratch; Meta’s latest large language model, Llama 2, could power these chatbots.
Privacy and Misinformation: A Delicate Balance
These interactions could have implications on user privacy. Facebook’s reputation in this area is already shaky, and adding chatbots comes with risks. There’s also the issue of AI chatbots “hallucinating” facts and spreading misinformation. Meta’s earlier attempts show a chance, but no guarantee, that they’ll play it safe.
Late to the Party: The Hype and Reality
The hype surrounding AI chatbots is nothing new, and Facebook might be late to the party. Even Meta’s own AI guru, Yann Lecun, thinks that large language models are a passing fad.
