Meta to Let Some Instagram Users Create AI Chatbots as 'Extension of Themselves'

Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc. will let users create their own AI-powered chatbots and add them to their profiles, an effort to court creators and further integrate the company's artificial intelligence software into its most popular consumer products. The feature, called AI Studio, lets creators with professional accounts make a custom AI chatbot that is "an extension of themselves" and can answer common questions from fans or followers. People can tell their bot what types of questions to answer, or which topics to avoid, Meta wrote in a blog post. The broader universe of Instagram users will be able to make a themed chatbot for their profile, for example a bot focused on mixed martial arts, dining or pets. Both features will roll out more broadly in the coming weeks.