According to a screenshot of the feature shared by TikTok, TikTok is testing an AI chatbot called Tako that can recommend videos based on people’s questions. The Verge.
If TikTok is eventually released broadly, chatbots could “fundamentally change search and navigation” within the app, says Daniel Buchuk of Watchful Technologies. Daniel Buchuk of Watchful Technologies is one of the companies pointing to upcoming app changes for Fortune 500 companies.
Screenshot of the test shared by Buchuk The Verge, Tako sits on the TikTok profile icon on the right side of the video. Tap this to open the chat screen and allow the bot to answer various questions. It’s unclear what AI model TikTok is using to power Tako.
Tako shows suggested prompts to help users start a conversation with the bot. According to Buchuk, “When you’re watching a food video, ask for a recipe and you’ll see a TikTok video of him related to that recipe. Or ask about a great art exhibition in Paris and the video will suggest It will appear with a list of .’ answers. The prompt suggested by Tako in one of his screenshots reads, “What is the significance of Charles III’s coronation?”
TikTok spokeswoman Zachary Kaiser called the chatbot a “limited experiment,” saying: The Verge Currently not available for users in North America or Europe. In a tweet, the company said the test would only take place in the Philippines.
“We are always looking for new technologies that add value to our community,” he said in an emailed statement. “In select markets, we are testing new ways to enhance search and discovery on TikTok. I look forward to it.”
As pointed out by lawyers Josh GarbenTikTok recently filed a trademark application for “chatbot software” called Tako, suggesting the company is gearing up for a wider release. It’s not the first social media app to jump on the chatbot bandwagon in recent months. In April, Snapchat made the My AI bot free for everyone, and Mark Zuckerberg recently told meta-investors that he wants to “introduce AI agents to billions of people.”
