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People are silhouetted as they pose with mobile devices in front of a screen projected with a Facebook logo, in this picture illustration taken in Zenica October 29, 2014. Facebook Inc warned on Tuesday of a dramatic increase in spending in 2015 and projected a slowdown in revenue growth this quarter, slicing a tenth off its market value. Facebook shares fell 7.7 percent in premarket trading the day after the social network announced an increase in spending in 2015 and projected a slowdown in revenue growth this quarter. Reuters/Dado Ruvic

Facebook’s revelation of its AI-enabled personal assistant could threaten AdWords and search engine—features which the giant search company Google are best known for. Dubbed simply as M, Facebook’s digital personal assistant works inside the social media’s Messenger. It assists in booking appointments, making travel and restaurant reservations and ordering gifts.

TechCrunch reported that Google’s core business requires people to type in whatever information they need in search boxes. Facebook’s M erases this process by being the personal assistant--it knows what the user needs even before the latter spells it out. When the user asks for something, M responds with either a definitive result or a completed task. Like a customer service representative, it asks for further details if it can’t answer on the first pass.

Facebook vice president Davis Marcus told Wired that M captures the user’s intent and needs. He further heralded of the marketing skills that the digital assistant has. On top of the artificial intelligence that M has, it’s also run by actual people dubbed as M trainers.

Facebook M’s known competitions Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Slack’s Slackbot, rely on technology. So the tasks that these high tech assistants can only carry out are limited.

“It can perform tasks that none of the others can,” Marcus told Wired. That’s because, in addition to using artificial intelligence to complete its tasks, M is powered by actual people. Unlike its digital assistant competitions, M’s human training enables it to carry out tasks topped with personal touch. “M learns from human behaviours.”

M has been through internal tests with Facebook employees. The genderless personal assistant has been sent out to do everything from organizing parties to tracking down an unusual beverage. The most popular task that Facebook employees made the digital assistant do is calling cable companies and endure the endless hold times and automated messages to help in setting up home wifi or cancel HBO subscription.

The company’s VP also disclosed about helping firms by offering customer services through Facebook Messenger during FB’s March developer conference. The feature, dubbed as Businesses on Messenger, allows businesses to send receipts, track shipments, and provide basic customer service. Marcus announced that M is still a work in progress, but will eventually reach everyone.

Facebook's M Takes on Siri and Google Now (Credit: YouTube/Wall Street Journal)

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