Facebook, the world's largest and most popular social network site has launched its newest personal assistant, named M. The intelligent digital apprentice is purposely programmed to do the bidding.
M is now joining the crowded field of virtual assistants like the Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, Google Now, and Amazon's Alexa.
The new service is said to be existing inside the Facebook's messaging app Messenger. The tech company stated that M is an artificial-based service that the company is still testing. In a Facebook post, David Marcus, the company's Messenger head and a former PayPal executive explained some of M's capabilities.
"Unlike other AI-based services in the market, M can actually complete tasks on your behalf. It can purchase items, get gifts delivered to your loved ones, book restaurants, travel arrangements, appointments and way more," wrote Marcus.
Just like the other personal assistants, M can also answer the regular questions of the users such as restaurant recommendations, trivia and weather. However, because the service is located in the Facebook's messaging app, M cannot answer users through a voice. The user can only communicate with it using text just like having a private Messenger conversation.
The said service also doesn't totally know the user. M is not associated with the user's everyday life just like Siri or Cortana. The new program is rather a runner than a personal assistant
Despite being voiceless and having many limitations, the service can offer users things that other personal assistants cannot. M can help users manage and spend their money just like the Amazon's Echo speakers. It has also the ability to place online orders such as flowers and can even provide customer service outlines.
Furthermore, M is able to do the job more than any other AI technology because of some special aid. Facebook is hiring real humans to train and supervise the new service.
For now, the new personal assistant is only available to few test users in the Bay Area.
