Meta Platforms Inc. has announced enhancements to its cross-platform chatbot, Meta AI, introducing a memory feature that allows the bot to retain user details from past conversations. The updates, which aim to personalize user interactions, were disclosed in a blog post on Meta’s official site.
According to the company, users in the U.S. and Canada engaging with Meta AI on Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp for iOS and Android can now instruct the chatbot to remember specific preferences, such as their love for travel or learning new languages. This memory capability mirrors similar features available on OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
Meta explained that the chatbot will leverage context from previous interactions to offer tailored responses. For instance, if a user mentions being vegan in an earlier conversation, Meta AI will factor this preference when suggesting meal ideas. However, the feature is limited to one-on-one chats, as memory functions will not extend to group conversations. Users also retain the ability to delete stored memories at any time.
In a move that has sparked some controversy, Meta AI will also begin using account information across Meta’s apps to deliver personalized recommendations. This could include details like a user’s home location listed on their Facebook profile or recently viewed videos on Instagram.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the potential benefits of these upgrades in a blog post on Monday, citing an example of using the chatbot to create bedtime stories for his daughters. “Meta AI will start to give you answers based on what preferences and information you’ve shared,” he wrote, adding that the bot remembers his daughters’ fondness for mermaids when generating new stories.
The personalized recommendation feature will initially roll out on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram in the U.S. and Canada. Notably, Meta confirmed that users will not have the option to opt out of the service.
While Meta is framing these updates as steps toward enhancing user experience, skepticism lingers due to the company’s history with data privacy concerns. With trust in Meta’s handling of user data remaining low, it remains to be seen how the public will receive these changes.