Meta’s Chatbot Craze: Are Virtual Celebs the Future of Social Media?

So, here’s the scoop: Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has this wild idea that creating virtual versions of famous people for their chatbots is the next big thing in AI. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

Last September, Meta introduced its new chatbot experience, where users can chat with AI bots that sound like different celebrities. But let’s be real here – you’re not actually having a convo with Kendall Jenner; you’re talking to a chatbot pretending to be her. Is it really more exciting than chatting with a regular bot?

But Meta seems to think it’s a winner because, according to The New York Times, they’re now planning to let Instagram influencers create their own AI chatbot versions. Picture this: you could be chatting with a bot that mimics your fave influencer’s voice. Strange, right?

Meta has been toying with AI creations since late last year, giving everyone the power to make their own custom chatbots. But here’s the thing – is it actually engaging? Is it even social? These are meant to be social media experiences, after all.

The idea behind this initiative is to help big-name creators interact with their fans without having to personally respond to a gazillion messages and comments. But let’s face it – a bot response isn’t the same as a real one. It’s like having a virtual BFF instead of the real deal.

Under this new scheme, Meta will train these bots using creators’ Instagram content to mimic their voice. But at the end of the day, it’s still just a bot pretending to be them. Meta thinks it’ll be more engaging, but I have my doubts.

Sure, chatbot responders can be handy for brands dealing with customer queries, but creating AI bots in the likeness of celebs or influencers? Not so sure about that. Users have been grumbling about bots on social media for years, and now we’re supposed to be cool with it because they’re fancier bots?

We’re not convinced that Meta’s AI chatbot craze is the way forward. It feels like a step away from he social aspect of social media, and that’s kind of missing the point, isn’t it? But hey, maybe we’re wrong. Only time will tell.