What’s the new Ask AI feature on Meta?
Meta has released its new Ask Meta AI feature on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, according to Business Insider, replacing the search bar.
The new Ask Meta AI feature will primarily be a way for users to chat with Meta’s AI system, according to The Washington Post. You can use the feature to ask questions and have it generate AI images. But several online users have voiced their opinions about it.
‘Ask Meta AI anything’ pic.twitter.com/bYMTteUatO
— wasian doll (@soberkravitz) April 22, 2024
Dear Meta AI,
I do not want to ask anything ,so if you could just give me my search bar back ,that'll be great
Okay thanks bye— Mr Smeg Zim (@T_a_t_e_n_d_a) April 30, 2024
‘Ask META AI anything’
ENOUGH— iCherry 2.0 (@BiKeR626) April 24, 2024
According to Business Insider, the new Ask Meta AI is creating “a really odd situation” among its users who are used to using the search bar to find their friends or a specific location.
Now when someone taps “Ask Meta AI anything” to type something in, it will suggest what you can ask Meta AI.
Artificial intelligence(AI) is everywhere now and it is a race.
Meta AI on WhatsApp, you can now ask Meta AI directly through the search feature at the top of your chats. Not all countries are supported yet!#ArtificialInteligence #LLM pic.twitter.com/Rw3lY9GfiG— Momen Zaqout (@ZaqoutMomen) April 26, 2024
The new feature is part of a bigger push by companies that have decided “AI is the next big thing”, according to The Washington Post.
The risks and benefits of Ask Meta AI
Axios reports that Meta’s new AI feature could worsen user’s experiences on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. But it’s free, unlike other AI tools that require payment for use.
What’s caused the most controversy among users was that the Ask Meta AI feature now replaces the original search bar and users cannot disable it.
The Washington Post tested out the new Ask Meta AI to see how far it would go. They found that it will not participate in overt sexual conversations or generate photos of high-profile figures.
Users can also chat with the AI with conversational questions or as a command using a forward slash. They describe it as “an enthusiastic but unreliable friend.”
If you want to use it efficiently, The Washington Post suggests the following tips:
Never assume it’s telling the truth. Instead, use it for fun and non-critical tasks.
To avoid getting a bland and generic response, use follow-up questions and provide as much detail as possible.
Do not use it to seek medical advice or as a source for educational papers (don’t let it write your paper for you either).
There is a risk of receiving misinformation from chatbots, so avoid asking it anything political or sensitive in nature.
