Meta Enhances AI Chatbot to Function More Like a Personal Assistant

Meta is enhancing its AI chatbot with new productivity features to better compete with other leading AI systems. This update enables the AI to access your calendar, assisting with event planning and generating daily briefings, while also conducting detailed research that you can guide throughout the process.

In a recent announcement, Meta described this update as a significant move towards achieving “personal superintelligence,” a vision that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has highlighted as the future of AI. The upgrade is powered by the newly launched Muse Spark 1.1 model, which expands the chatbot’s abilities beyond simply answering questions, creating images, and drafting documents.

This shift represents a change from Meta’s earlier focus, as the company’s Chief Product Officer previously emphasized a commitment to “entertainment” and “connecting with friends,” rather than prioritizing productivity like some competitors.

With the new features, the AI can now generate daily summaries based on your calendar, search Facebook Marketplace for budget-friendly furniture for your kitchen renovation, find restaurants for your upcoming events, and check your schedule to suggest suitable dates. Once you set up tasks with the AI, it can autonomously manage them, providing calendar briefings, weekly meal plans, or updates on product restocks without needing constant prompts.

Additionally, the AI assistant has improved its ability to summarize information from various online sources, compiling it into reports, presentations, or plans. You can also adjust the AI’s focus mid-response, similar to the functionality offered by other AI systems.

The updated AI assistant is being rolled out today in select markets through the Meta AI app and on the web, with plans to expand availability to more countries and platforms, including WhatsApp, in the coming weeks.