Tech Desk 
Dec 31, 2024
In a bid to increase engagement and attract younger people, tech giant Meta is gearing up to introduce artificial intelligence-assisted bot accounts across its social media platforms.
These bots, as per the company, will directly interact with real, human users, producing a content format which would transform the way people engage on these platforms.
The injection of countless AI-driven bot accounts follows Meta's existing plans for rolling out an array of AI-backed features allowing users to create virtual personas for their profiles.
The Express Tribune reported that these accounts will be reminiscent of the way humans operate their accounts, as they will have proper bios and profile pictures, and will also share AI-generated content on their profiles, interact with users, and even engage in conversations.
This is said to be part of the company’s ambitious plans to boost engagement on its platforms, especially among younger audiences who are most likely to be intrigued with the emerging AI technology.
In this regard, Connor Hayes, Meta’s Vice President of Product for Generative AI, said the company aims to make these virtual characters as usual as user accounts. "We expect these AIs to actually, over time, exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that accounts do," Hayes said.
Surprisingly, he further outlined that Meta has already generated hundreds of thousands of these bot accounts, which he added were launched in the US earlier this year.
