Meta creates AI friends — they won’t let you get bored, remember details, and start a conversation

In the new era of digital communication, tech giants are actively competing for user attention and time on the platform. And while some companies are introducing voice assistants or «smart» recommendations, Meta has gone even further. Its chatbots are preparing to become a real «digital friend». They will be able to start a conversation on their own, maintain contact, and remember the details of past communication.

What Meta is preparing

Meta is actively working on a new generation of chatbots that will be able to initiate a dialog rather than just answer questions. According to information obtained by Business Insider, the company is working with Alignerr to train new AI models as part of a project called Project Omni. The goal is to create customized bots that know what you’re interested in, remember what you’ve talked about before, and know when to contact you again. It’s no longer just an auxiliary tool — it’s a true digital companion.

These bots are created in the tool Meta AI Studio and collect context about the user to use this information for more natural and personalized communication. It’s not a new idea, but Meta takes a holistic approach to it. The company wants not only to interest users but also to keep their attention for a long time.

Meta openly says that one of the goals of the new approach is to increase user engagement and fight what Mark Zuckerberg calls the «loneliness epidemic». New chatbots should not be intrusive, but useful — as digital companions that take initiative but know the limits.

The bots will send reminders or continue the dialog if the user has disappeared from the conversation. But no more than once every 14 days. And only once if you don’t respond. The user will be able to decide whether these bots will be private (for personal use only) or appear as characters in stories or profiles.

Isn’t it too much?

Despite the positive intentions, experts are already asking the question: won’t such bots become another factor that increases emotional dependence and distancing from live communication? Similar services, such as Character.AI, have already demonstrated that people can become emotionally attached to bots. And while Meta promises ethical restrictions and control, this field is still very new and unpredictable.

Meanwhile, OpenAI is studying the impact of ChatGPT on people’s mental state and engages psychiatric experts in this process, as sometimes communication with chatbots leads to suicide.

Meta doesn’t just launch another feature — it actually creates a new form of digital presence: a chatbot that starts conversations, remembers your interests, and tries to be a helpful interlocutor. This approach can make the digital space warmer and more human. But it’s important not to forget that behind every artificial interlocutor is a business logic. This means — it’s not just about friendship, but also about attention, time, and… clicks.

Source: wccftech