For example, an AI chatbot that goes by the name “The Maestro of Movie Magic” might send a message that says, “I hope you’re having a harmonious day! I wanted to check in and see if you’ve discovered any new favourite soundtracks or composers recently. Or perhaps you’d like some recommendations for your next movie night? Let me know, and I’ll be happy to help!”

In a statement to the publication, a Meta spokesperson said, “After you initiate a conversation, AIs in Meta AI Studio can follow up with you to share ideas or ask additional questions. This allows you to continue exploring topics of interest and engage in more meaningful conversations with the AIs across our apps.”

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However, these AI chatbots will only text you if you initiate a conversation with them, and won’t contact the user if they don’t reply. As of now, the window for the follow-up message is set at 14 days after the initial message, and for the chatbot to send a follow-up, the user must have sent at least five messages in the timer period. “This allows you to continue exploring topics of interest and engage in more meaningful conversations with the AIs across our apps”, the spokesperson added.

The feature is intended for chatbots developed using Meta’s AI Studio, a platform that can be standalone and is also accessible via Instagram. Launched last year, it is a no-code platform that allows anyone to build their own customised chatbots and personas with personalities and memories.

Using Meta AI Studio, users can create personalised chatbots like a chef that can suggest recipes or an interior designer that gives you decor advice. For creators and influencers, these chatbots can even handle fan interactions and reply to messages.

These bots can either be kept private for personal use or shared with the public via stories and direct links. You can also choose them to display on your Facebook or Instagram profile. Meta’s experimental chatbots are quite similar to those offered by Character.AI and Replika, both of which allow AI chatbots to initiate conversations and ask questions.

When TechCrunch asked Meta how it plans to make sure its AI chatbots are safe, a spokesperson redirected the publication to a bunch of disclaimers, one of which says that these chatbots “may be inaccurate or inappropriate and should not be used to make important decisions” and they are not licensed professionals or experts.

Meta’s newest feature aims to align with CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitions to fight the “loneliness epidemic”. Earlier this year, court documents revealed that Meta predicted that its generative AI-powered products would help it add another $2 billion to $3 billion in revenue this year, with estimations claiming that the business would account for up to $1.4 trillion by 2035.

This means that the company might eventually insert advertisements in its AI offering and further monetise them by offering a subscription service. However, there is currently no news on how the company plans to commercialise these AI chatbots.