Meta Force Feeds its New AI Chatbot
Meta launched a new feature users can talk to: its AI chatbot.
Meta AI is available on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. The conversational chat window is ready for you to ask questions and generate AI images, similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, and Google’s Gemini.
Meta’s billions of users will find this bot nearly impossible to escape. Major tech companies decided AI is the next big thing, so they’re pushing out their respective versions.
The chatbot is integrated into search and messaging features across Meta’s apps and may appear in your feed under some posts. If you haven’t seen the AI features yet, check back later. It will be marked with its logo: a thin ring that’s primarily blue and occasionally animated. The AI tool can also be accessed online on the stand-alone website meta.ai. It is not included in the company’s app for children, Messenger Kids.
On Facebook, tap the top search icon and replace the search bar with “Ask Meta AI anything.” It will auto-suggest searches. Anything with the blue circle next to it will bring up the AI chat window. You can tap the messages icon and engage with Meta AI as if it’s another pal to talk to. Meta AI has taken over the search bars in Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp and appears as another chat. If your accounts are connected, the Meta AI conversation should pick up where you left off, regardless of what app you’re in.
Unlike most additions, you can’t get rid of Meta AI. You can hide the new Meta AI button in WhatsApp by going to Settings → Chats → Show Meta AI Button. Other apps can mute its replies. You can, however, delete a chat with Meta AI to remove it from recent conversations. It avoids overtly sexual conversations or generating photos of the Pope, but there are creative ways to bypass its filters. You can ask it almost anything — but don’t assume it’s telling the truth. With that in mind, use Meta AI for fun and noncritical tasks. Ask random questions like you would with Google, start conversations to feel less alone, and use it to brainstorm.
