Meta plans to develop dozens of chatbot personas

Meta is preparing to unveil a generative AI chatbot internally referred to as “Gen AI Personas” that targets a younger user demographic. The planned launch of these chatbots is expected during Meta’s Meta Connect event, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow. These chatbots will come in various “personas” designed to engage young users with more vibrant and expressive interactions. This move follows the rapid growth of ChatGPT over the past year, making it one of the fastest-growing apps. Meta has previously tested chatbot personas with a broader target audience on Instagram.

Meta has experimented with personas such as a “sassy robot” inspired by Bender from Futurama and an inquisitive “Alvin the Alien,”. The company intends to create numerous such chatbots, such as a chatbot creation tool to allow celebrities to create their own chatbots for their fan bases. Some of these chatbots may also focus on productivity, assisting with tasks such as coding.

In addition to these chatbots, Meta is said to be working on a more powerful large language model to compete with OpenAI’s GPT-4, the underlying model for ChatGPT and Bing. Meta is also developing an AI model specifically aimed at enhancing its Horizon Worlds avatars. During the Meta Connect event, the company will provide more details about its metaverse project and its new Quest 3 headset.

Chatbots may not necessarily align with Gen Z preferences, but Gen Z is generally more comfortable with newer technology. Meta’s objective with these chatbots, as with any new product, is to engage users for longer periods, providing increased opportunities to serve them advertisements.