Meta Platforms Inc. is working on more proactive chatbots that can send friendly yet unsolicited follow-up messages to users on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, without being prompted to do so first.
The company’s latest generative artificial intelligence initiative was reported by Business Insider. It said the chatbots are being developed in collaboration with a data labeling company called Alignerr Corp. as part of an initiative known as “Project Omni,” which aims to boost re-engagement with social media users and increase retention rates for brands.
Documents seen by Business Insider reveal that the chatbots are being built with Meta’s AI Studio platform, which was launched in 2024 and allows users to create customized AI bots without technical skills. With the AI Studio, it’s possible to build chatbots for various different tasks, such as providing general advice, generating content or engaging with audiences on social media.
The new chatbots are designed to send unsolicited messages to users that will reference previous conversations they’ve had with them, and ask on-topic questions that try to keep them engaged, according to the documents.
However, Meta appears to be mindful that not everyone will appreciate being disturbed in this way, so it has outlined strict rules regarding when and how often a bot can send such a message. The guidelines stipulate that the bots can only reach out to users who have sent at least five messages within the last 14 days, and they’re only allowed to do this once. If the user doesn’t respond to the bot, it won’t keep bugging them.
Alignerr’s documents provide a few examples of the kinds of messages users might receive. For instance, a bot that has previously engaged with someone to help them discover music might pop up and say “I hope you had a pleasant day! Have you discovered any new favorite soundtracks?”
Whatever messages they do send will be based on the user’s previous interactions, and the bots will attempt to maintain a consistent personality. According to Business Insider, Meta has confirmed that it’s currently testing the new feature, but it’s not clear if people are actually seeing the messages in the wild yet.
Alignerr is said to be using Meta’s internally-developed SRT tool to evaluate the quality of the bot’s unsolicited messages. It’s also using human reviewers, who are tasked with ensuring that any communications are friendly and relevant, and don’t breach the guidelines. Other rules stipulate that the bots should avoid talking about controversial or emotional topics, unless the user mentions them first.
It may well be that Meta tries to position its more forceful chatbots as a tool that can help to solve what Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has previously called a “loneliness epidemic.” While he has admitted that chatbots aren’t a cure for this problem, he has said in the past that they can encourage more meaningful interactions.
However, the company’s real motivation is likely to be profit-related. Previously, the company has said it hopes to generate between $2 billion and $3 billion in revenue from its AI products in 2025, rising to as much as $1.4 trillion by 2035. The bulk of those sales would be derived from revenue-sharing agreements with companies that utilize Meta’s Llama AI models, but it has also said it may integrate advertising with its chatbots, and possibly subscription plans too.
If Meta’s bots can proactively reach out to people and increase the amount of time they spend engaging with its platforms, that would make them more valuable to advertisers and potentially help it to generate more revenue.
User retention is a major issue for AI developers, and some chatbot developers, such as Character.AI Inc. and Replika, have already experimented with more proactive forms of AI, reaching out to users and asking them questions to keep them talking. But this has proven to be controversial, with Character.AI currently facing a lawsuit over allegations that one of its more persistent chatbots contributed to the suicide of a 14-year-old boy.
Holger Mueller of Constellation Research Inc. said Meta’s desperation to make its AI investments more profitable has motivated it to try and walk a very fine line, for while its unsolicited messages can theoretically boost engagement, and therefore sales, it risks being seen as annoying and intrusive.
“The success of these interactions will be determined by their quality, frequency and relevancy, and it could be very powerful if the company can get it right,” the analyst said. “Fortunately for Meta, it has the expertise, the data and the scale to pull this off. If it succeeds in this endeavor, it could be the beginning of a new industry best practice, encouraging others to follow suit.”
Image: News/Dreamina
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