TikTok is now testing its AI chatbot called Tako to select users in the Philippines.
Amid the popularity of Google Bard and OpenAI's ChatGPT, the Chinese social network is testing its version.
TikTok's AI Chatbot Tako
According to Tech Crunch, the experimental chatbot Tako suddenly shows up when users view videos on TikTok. The option to access the in-app tools appears on the right side of the screen, alongside the buttons for comments and likes. When users tap the chatbot, it lets them ask questions relevant to the clip they are watching.
The ByteDance-owned social media explained to its users how its new in-app feature works via a pop-up, which appears to select users. It gives users a heads-up that Tako is still an "experimental chatbot." On top of that, the alert sheds light on what it does, including answering questions and conversing with users.
However, the video-sharing service gave a piece of disclaimer, warning users that the responses of the chatbot are generated by an AI. And as such, it could be misleading at times, making it unreliable for getting advice on serious matters like legal, medical, and financial.
Furthermore, the pop-up notifies users that all their conversations with Tako are subjected to review, citing safety purposes. Besides that, TikTok also seeks to use users' interaction with the experimental chatbot to help further improve its overall experience. So the alert explicitly tells users not to share their private information with the AI-powered bot.
The pop-up gives users two options, whether they proceed using it by tapping "Confirm" or they choose to "Quit."
TikTok Confirms Testing AI Chatbot
The Chinese tech giant confirms on Twitter that it is already testing a new in-app feature, which allows users to interact with an AI-powered chatbot.
TikTok Comms says the limited test of its AI chatbot, Tako, has kicked off to select users in the Philippines, where video sharing platform is insanely popular. The tweet says, "[We are] in the early stages of exploring chatbot tools."
But despite the limited rollout of Tako, Android Headlines notes that the tech juggernaut assures that the experimental chatbot is only available to legal-aged users.
Meanwhile, the TikTok spokesperson, Zachary Kizer, told The Verge that the chatbot AI experiment is not yet available to its users in North America or Europe. So if you are in the US or the UK, the new in-app tool is inaccessible. But folks in the Philippines have a chance to get their hands on it under its limited testing stage.
As TikTok's AI chatbot Tako is still in the works, it remains to be seen if it will roll out to other countries apart from the Philippines later on.
