A Filipino AI Chatbot Is Being Tested By TikTok

“With a small test of Tako with a select group of users in the Philippines, we are only beginning to investigate chatbot solutions. The creator of the well-known short-form video-sharing app TikTok announced on Twitter that Tako is an AI-powered tool to aid with search and discovery on the platform.

According to TikTok, Tako is a third-party chat assistant that is “designed to help make it easier to discover entertaining and inspiring content on TikTok.”

The business declined to specify what outside chat assistance it used to power Tako.

In February, social media competitor Snap Inc. released “My AI,” a chatbot that uses OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology. Less than two months after its debut, Snap enhanced My AI to allow users to produce entirely artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photographs.

Now, the short-form video sharing service TikTok is relying on Tako’s exposure to ChatGPT’s popularity.

The chatbot is presently undergoing restricted testing in a few niche markets, such as the Philippines, where it is very popular. According to data from market research firm DataReportal, 43.43 million adults in the country will use TikTok in 2023.

Tako was first uncovered by Watchful.ai, an Israeli app intelligence company. Images of the chatbot’s UI show a ghost-shaped symbol and the following greeting:

“Hey! Tako here. Please feel free to ask me anything; I’ll try to point you in the right direction.

Tako is intended to improve the platform’s search and discovery capabilities, TikTok emphasises.

According to TikTok, Tako is designed to help users find content on the app. The platform introduced an in-app music discovery hub earlier in May called #NewMusic, which will spotlight fresh material from artists and let fans learn about new music and musicians.

At the same time as giving emerging and established artists a platform to expand their fan bases and engage with their audiences, TikTok claimed at the time that “the #NewMusic hub allows fans to discover the best new music, frequently before it is heard elsewhere.”

Recent reports from TechCrunch claim that a TikTok official said, “Being at the forefront of innovation is core to building the TikTok experience, and we’re always exploring new technologies that add value to our community.”

Adding, “We look forward to learning from our community as we continue to create a secure space that entertains, encourages creativity, and drives culture. We’re trying new approaches to power search and discovery on TikTok in certain regions.

The AI chatbot was discovered, according to Watchful.ai, during tests on iOS devices in the US.

Tako, according to another screenshot of Tako provided by Watchful.ai, is an “experimental chatbot” that can converse with people and respond to queries.

Tako’s feedback is AI-generated; therefore, it could not be factual or correct. As a result, it shouldn’t be taken as advice on legal, financial, or other matters. For your protection and to improve your experience, all chats will be examined. Please refrain from giving Tako access to your personal information.

The new function comes as TikTok is growing its selection of features in an effort to attract and keep consumers.