Meta’s New AI Tools Use Your Chats to Personalize Ads

Meta has introduced a suite of new artificial intelligence tools aimed at enhancing advertising and customer service for businesses, while also announcing a significant shift in how user interactions with its AI will shape ad personalization. These developments mark a continued push by the social media giant to integrate AI more deeply into its commercial ecosystem.

The newly launched Business AI agent is available at no cost through Meta Ads, providing small and medium-sized enterprises with automated online sales support and product recommendations across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. This tool is engineered to shorten the customer journey from product discovery to final purchase, allowing business owners to dedicate their efforts to more complex operational needs. The agent functions by analyzing a company’s existing digital footprint, tailoring its interactions to align with the brand’s established identity and offerings.

For U.S.-based businesses interested in deploying the agent on their own websites or integrating it into their WhatsApp and Messenger accounts, it is offered at what Meta describes as a significantly reduced price compared to competing solutions. Expansion to additional countries is anticipated in the near future, though specific pricing details remain undisclosed.

In a parallel move with considerable implications for user privacy, Meta disclosed that starting December 16, it will utilize conversations users have with its Meta AI chatbot to tailor the advertisements and content suggestions displayed to them on its platforms. For instance, an individual inquiring about local restaurants through the chatbot may subsequently encounter ads for nearby dining establishments. There is no option to opt out of this new personalization method. The only way to avoid it is to refrain from using Meta’s AI chatbots altogether, though reports indicate the company is developing proactive chatbots that initiate conversations with users.

The company has stated that certain sensitive topics discussed in chats, such as those relating to sexual orientation, health, racial identity, religious beliefs, and political affiliations, will be excluded from the data used for ad targeting. Conversations that occurred prior to December 16 will also not be utilized. Initially, this personalization update will not affect users residing in the United Kingdom, South Korea, or the European Union.

Alongside the Business AI agent, Meta unveiled several additional AI-powered features for advertisers using its Advantage+ platform. These include an AI-generated music tool that composes custom audio tracks reflecting an ad’s content and emotional tone, an AI dubbing feature for rapid translation into different languages, a video enhancement tool for creating higher-quality AI-generated video ads, and an image generator that produces visuals tailored to specific audience segments.

These tools represent an expansion of the generative AI advertising capabilities Meta began releasing in late 2023. The broader strategic objective appears to be the full automation of the ad creation process, from initial concept to campaign deployment. This vision aligns with similar industry efforts, such as Amazon’s recent introduction of an AI agent capable of producing complete short video advertisements, including custom voiceovers.

(Source: NewsAPI AI & Machine Learning)