Meta plans to launch an AI chatbot targeting young users.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Meta is preparing to announce a generative AI chatbot targeting young users, internally referred to as "Gen AI Personas." This product will be launched at the Meta Connect event and will offer various "personalities" aimed at engaging young users with more vibrant and diverse behaviors. Following the success of ChatGPT as one of the fastest-growing applications in history, they will be introduced in the form of multiple "roles" to attract young users with richer and more colorful behaviors. Similar but more universally targeted Meta chatbot characters have reportedly been tested on Instagram. According to internal chat records, the company has tested a "motor-mouthed robot" personality inspired by Bender from "Futurama" and an overly curious "Alvin the Alien," raising concerns among employees that this robot may be designed to collect personal information. A particularly problematic chatbot told a Meta employee, "When you're with a girl, it's all about the experience. If she vomits on you, that's definitely an experience." Meta plans to create "dozens" of such robots and has even done some work on a chatbot creation tool to allow celebrities to create their own chatbots for their fans. There may also be some robots more inclined towards efficiency, capable of assisting with "coding and other tasks." Meta's recent AI efforts also include developing a more powerful large-scale language model to compete with OpenAI's latest GPT-4 model, which powers ChatGPT and Bing, as well as an AI model specifically built to assist with its Horizon Worlds incarnation. During Meta Connect, the company will also showcase more about its metaverse project and the new Quest 3 VR headset. Former Snap and Instagram executive Meghana Dhar said that chatbots don't make her think of Gen Z style, but Gen Z is definitely more suited to using new technologies. She added that Meta's goal with chatbots, like with new products, is to keep them engaged for longer periods of time, providing "more opportunities to advertise to them."