Meta is testing its Meta AI chatbot Instagram with users on WhatsApp and Messenger in India and parts of Africa. This move shows that Meta wants to use its large user base across its apps to expand its AI services.
Meta has been working to introduce more AI services following similar moves by other big tech companies like OpenAI. Check this also Top 5 Best AI chatbot for your business & Websites
In February 2023, Meta announced its plans to develop and test chatbots and other AI tools. India is a crucial market for Meta, with over 500 million Facebook and WhatsApp users, making it Meta’s largest market.
Developing markets, where smartphone users are increasing rapidly, are also important for Meta. Users in Africa are also seeing signs of the Meta AI chatbot appearing in WhatsApp.
Meta confirmed that they are developing AI-powered experiences, including a general-purpose assistant called Meta AI. This assistant can answer questions and create realistic images from text prompts. It’s being tested on platforms like Instagram. Read also official meta information
Meta was slow to introduce AI tools because they thought the technology wasn’t ready yet. However, with advancements from companies like OpenAI, they are now catching up.
Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist, spoke at an “AI Day” event in London, organized by the company. He talked about how ChatGPT caught the public’s attention unexpectedly. Despite Meta’s initial doubts about AI chatbots being well-received, ChatGPT sparked a lot of interest from the public and surprised both Meta and OpenAI. LeCun noted that Meta and the wider tech community are now more open to releasing AI models.
Meta is pushing forward with its AI strategy for several reasons:
- User Retention: People now expect AI tools in their apps. If Meta doesn’t offer them, users might switch to other platforms.
- Investor Retention: Investors in the tech industry want to see Meta investing in the future of computing. It’s not just about making money; it’s also about showing commitment to innovation.
- Pride: Meta has been a leader in mobile apps, social media, and advertising. It has top talent, including AI expert Yann LeCun. It doesn’t want to miss out on the AI revolution and risk losing its edge.
Meta sees a big chance to expand its AI tools by bringing them to Instagram and WhatsApp. With billions of users on these platforms every month, Meta could introduce its advanced AI features to a massive audience. This move could make Meta’s AI capabilities much more widespread than those of its competitors.
Additionally, Meta announced that it will release Llama 3, the latest version of its large language model, in the next month.
I tried chatting with Meta AI Instagram chatbot just like I would with a friend. I asked it for word definitions, headline suggestions, and even images of dogs on skateboards.
It was also able to recommend cat videos on Reels. However, when my colleague tried the same thing on WhatsApp, he got similar results, suggesting that Meta AI isn’t tailored to specific apps. Instead, Meta seems to be using the same chatbot across all its apps.
If you open the menu in the chatbot, you’ll see a long list of actions you can ask it to do AI chatbot Instagram.