Facebook’s virtual assistant, M, has been discontinued, marking a significant setback for the company’s foray into artificial intelligence (AI). Facebook’s M was designed to outperform rival virtual assistants by completing tasks in the physical world, such as booking restaurant reservations or arranging flower deliveries. However, its reliance on human assistance for complex tasks made it unsustainable.
This failure reflects a broader trend of chatbots not living up to their initial hype. Despite early enthusiasm, many chatbots have struggled to understand and respond to human language effectively. The technology has been hampered by a lack of contextual understanding, leading to frustrating user experiences.
While chatbots have found some success in customer service roles, their limitations have become apparent. They are often unable to handle complex or unexpected queries, leading to customer dissatisfaction. As a result, companies are shifting their focus towards more specialised, less ambitious AI projects.
Despite these setbacks, Facebook remains committed to AI and plans to incorporate the lessons learned from M into its future projects. The company believes that AI has the potential to revolutionise many aspects of our lives, and it continues to invest heavily in this area.
Go to source article: https://www.wired.com/story/facebooks-virtual-assistant-m-is-dead-so-are-chatbots/