Facebook has joined the ranks of Google, Microsoft and Apple, announcing they too are getting into the virtual assistant game, building the functions right into the Facebook Messenger app.
Rather than a search replacement like Cortana or Google Now, Facebook’s assistant will live in Messenger where you’ll be able to chat with the assistand and ask it to perform tasks such as ‘purchase items, get gifts delivered to your loved ones, book restaurants, travel arrangements, appointments and way more’.
The assistant will be powered by Artificial Intelligence, but will be trained and supervised by people says David Marcus, Vice President of Messaging Products at Facebook.
Screenshots of the assistant which is apparently called ‘M’ were shown off running on an iPhone, but it would be conceivable an Android version would be forthcoming.
The service is beginning testing today said Mr Marcus, but no further time-frames on availability was given.
Voice assistants appear to be the next big “thing” that companies are competing with each other over. Google Now, Siri, Cortana, and now Facebook. Who’s next, Yahoo?