Facebook Messenger is an App that allows Facebook users to chat with other Facebook users from their mobile devices. Users cannot send messages from the regular Facebook Mobile App, and so installing Messenger on your phone can be crucial to communication if you rely on Facebook Messages.
If you’re already active on Facebook’s Messenger App, you may have noticed a change today (or in the upcoming days as Facebook performs slow roll-outs). The ever-growing world of automated virtual “personal assistants” has just gotten a new AI member- M.
Originally announced in its beta form over a year ago, today M is expanding to all Messenger users (iOS or Android) in the US. If you don’t have your Apps set to automatically update you may need to check for a Messenger update.
M works by recognizing content and intention in a conversation as it is happening and will suggest actions including:
- Stickers: M will suggest stickers based on your conversation including trigger words like “Thank you” or “Bye-bye.”
- Money: M will recognize discussion of money or payments and present users with the option of sending or requesting money.
- Location: M can suggest users share their location during a conversation.
- Making plans: M can help coordinate a plan if users are talking about getting together.
- Starting a poll (in group conversations only): If you’re having a hard time making decisions in your Group Chat (or you’re just very diplomatic) M can help you create a poll and take votes.
- Ride Share: If you happen to be talking about going somewhere, M can suggest ride options via Uber or Lyft.
M will learn the more you use it, suggesting things that may be more relevant to your needs. Users will always have the option to ignore or dismiss a suggestion by M, and M can be muted in “M Settings”.
Facebook expects to grow the M interface as users test out the feature for themselves and potentially make suggestions for improvement.
Check out the full article from The Facebook Newsroom here.