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Messenger Launches New Artificial Intelligence Features

It reads your conversations and makes suggestions on what to do next.

Messenging app 'Messenger' launched a range of new artificial intelligence (AI) features in Australia on Wednesday.

The AI, called 'M', works almost like a prompting service, where it recognises words and phrases used in a conversation and then suggests relevant content and actions based on the chat between the two users.

For example, if you're speaking to someone on their birthday, 'M' will recognise either through a phrase used or their Messenger profile when their birthday is and then prompt you to send a birthday message.

The birthday suggestion feature.
Messenger
The birthday suggestion feature.

Similarly, if you are chatting about making plans or struggling to come to a group decision about something, the AI will suggest you make a plan or start a group poll respectively. If you are chatting in a one-on-one conversation, and one person rises the idea of making a call, 'M' will prompt you to start a video or voice chat.

Make a plan or start a poll?
Messenger
Make a plan or start a poll?

Other features include stickers for commonly used phrases including 'thankyou' or 'bye-bye' and a prompt to share your location with someone if phrases like 'where are you?' and 'see you soon' are used. Messenger also launched a content saving option that encourages you to save videos, Facebook posts and pages from your conversations to look at later.

Certain phrases prompt stickers and locations.
Messenger
Certain phrases prompt stickers and locations.

If you tire of the notifications and suggestions from Messenger, it's easy to opt-out of the AI technology by adjusting your Messenger settings. It's also possible to dismiss a suggestion made by 'M' if you feel it is irrelevant.

The 'M' artificial intelligence technology was first launched in the U.S. in April and is also currently available in Mexico and Spain. Canada, South Africa and the U.K. will gain assess to the technology at the same time as all of us here in Australia.

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