Meta has announced plans to launch 28 AI chatbots - half of them played by celebrities and influencers - to assist users in a range of activities from DIY to gaming. Among them, Snoop Dogg is set to play the character Dungeon Master, who will guide you through adventure games.
Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at Meta’s annual Connect conference yesterday, the aim is apparently to make AI seem more appealing to a younger audience.
“This isn’t just about answering queries”, Zuckerberg said during the announcement. ”It’s about entertainment and about helping you do things to connect with the people around you”.
Launching in beta, and initially only in the US, the bots will have some limitations. There are plans for them to be able to access real-time information, via a partnership with Microsoft’s Bing search engine. However, right now their responses will be based on information from before 2023, meaning that the things they tell you may be out of date.
Previewing the plans earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal said that there had been problems with some of the AI chatbots. One - a “sassmaster general” robot - was deemed to just be rude by one tester, while another was critical of Zuckerberg and Meta.
Whether these teething troubles have been ironed out remains to be seen. The bots reported on by WSJ were not ones fronted by celebrities. If bots with a famous person’s face start mouthing off, that could present bigger problems for Meta.
As well as Snoop Dogg as a gaming guide, other celeb-bots include Paris Hilton as a detective to help you solve whodunnits; American footballer Tom Brady, who will debate sports with you; and YouTuber MrBeast as “the big brother who will roast you - because he cares”.
