Facebook announced on Thursday they have green-lit M, their virtual digital assistant for Messenger that Facebook began testing in August 2015. Suggestions from M is available to all iOS and Android users in the U.S currently, with other countries being included later, timing TBD.
As a refresher, this artificial intelligence makes suggestions based on users’ conversation within messenger and provides actions that users can take. Similar to technology like Siri, the more you use M, the more M can help you make plans, find a ride, etc. The list of examples M can provide, includes:
- Sending stickers: M shares fun sticker suggestions for your daily life interactions, like, “Thank you,” or, “Bye-bye.”
- Paying or requesting money: M recognizes when people are discussing payments and gives them the option of easily sending or requesting money.
- Sharing your location: M can suggest an option to share your location during a conversation.
- Making plans: If people are talking about getting together, M helps with coordinating a plan.
- Starting a poll (in group conversations only): Have a hard time making decisions in a group? M lets you set a poll topic and vote in group conversations.
- Getting a ride: Talking about going somewhere? M suggests, “Get a Ride,” and shares an option of Lyft or Uber.
For those who are not into M, users can either ignore suggestions or mute M in their messenger settings.
Why It’s Hot
- Facebook is taking messenger to another level with personalization and making the journey from communication to action more seamless
- Pointing out that this could be another Facebook venture into a new feature that may fall flat.