TikTok Testing AI Chatbot in the Philippines
Tako is TikTok’s latest AI chatbot. It can recommend videos based on what you ask. Since it is still in its testing stage, there is no way to tell how good it is. But it may change search and navigation radically.
This new feature is on top of the TikTok profile icon. When you tap it, it opens up a chat screen. Then, the bot appears that can answer a range of queries.
What powers Tako? It is hard to determine what AI model is used to power it. But according to those people who have the chance to test it, the chatbot can suggest prompts to assist a user begin a conversation with a bot.
If you watch coffee videos and ask how to make an affogato, for instance, you will get related videos for the recipe. It will also show a list of suggestions in the answer.
But this is a limited experiment. It is only available in the Philippines and not in North America or Europe.
ChatBot Security
Chatbot security is a huge issue. It is of paramount importance to ensure that the data you share with a chatbot remains secure. This is one of the reasons many companies ban bots at work.
Apple, for instance, has gone so far as to restrict its employees from using ChatGPT. Other companies prohibit their employees to use GitHub’s CoPilot because they may leak confidential data.
It is predicted that most customer service interactions will be processed by a chatbot in the next few years. The technology collects personal data and can access a large knowledge base. Malicious actors could target it to carry out their evil plans.
Unfortunately, many companies adopted chatbots with open arms. They even incorporate them into their automated response systems. Facebook, for instance, is prepared for greater chatbot use. We can expect future customer service to be mostly chat-based.
But businesses cannot just build a bot and send it out so that any person who comes across it can interact with it. Businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of personal data, regardless of how the data is collected or transferred. It is more explicit than ever with GPDR.
Why Would You Want to Use Tako?
Most companies are now experimenting with AI. But for TikTok, a chatbot is another matter. It could do more than just give you a related video. You could use the platform in a different way to interact with content in the app.
Experts think that it is a threat to Google. That is if the chatbot’s tests were successful and TikTok would decide to introduce it publicly. Google noted that Gen Z is turning to Instagram and TikTok to search on some subjects. It means that they are no longer using Google as most users do.
But Google will also release its conversational experience in search. However, if TikTok will have its own AI chatbot, younger users might bypass Google.
