Meta Launches AI Chatbot for All Users Across India: Join the Conversation Today!

After several months of testing during India's general elections, Meta is now launching its Llama 3-powered AI chatbot to all users across the country. Currently, Meta AI supports only English, lacking compatibility with any local languages.

The testing phase for Meta AI began in April on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook, initially limited to select users. Shortly after, Meta expanded its rollout to over a dozen countries, excluding India due to the ongoing elections at that time.

In addition to being accessible through the search bar in its various applications, Meta is making the AI tool available via the Meta.AI website. Meta AI functions similarly to other well-known chatbots, including OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude. Users can request recipe suggestions, workout plans, email drafts, or text summaries.

Within Instagram, the chatbot can recommend Reels based on user queries. On Facebook, users will encounter a Meta AI prompt that allows them to ask questions related to specific posts. For instance, when viewing a photo of the aurora borealis, users can ask Meta AI for recommendations on the best locations and times for viewing the northern lights.

Meta AI can also generate images based on user prompts. However, a study from May indicated that Meta AI showed a tendency to add turbans when generating images of Indian men, along with a recurring depiction of traditional Indian houses featuring vibrant colors and distinct architectural elements. While Meta indicated it was consistently updating its models, it remains unclear whether these biases have been addressed.

A Meta spokesperson commented, “This is a new technology, and it may not always produce the intended responses, a common challenge across all generative AI systems. Since our launch, we’ve been actively releasing updates and improvements to enhance the model's performance.”

Meta is now tapping into its vast Indian user base, including around 500 million WhatsApp users and hundreds of millions on its other platforms. On WhatsApp, users can engage with Meta AI in one-on-one chats or utilize the chatbot in group conversations for activities like trip planning or movie selections.

While Meta AI cannot access the full context of group conversations, it responds based on the specific text users employ when mentioning or replying to it, adapting its responses based on interactions over time.

Although users cannot disable or hide the Meta AI feature, they have the option to search without actively engaging the chatbot. This rollout follows Google's recent launch of its Gemini app for Android users in India, which supports nine local languages.