Can Facebook’s new virtual assistant, ‘M’ help you book a table?

We wondered when this would happen. Facebook wasn’t going to just allow Siri to walk around unattended and unopposed, was it? Well, of course not. They launched M. No, she isn’t going to send you on super-cool suicidal missions or sanction your shenanigans with unnaturally fit women, but she might just help you book a table at your favourite restaurant. 

That’s not all, M can even help you book Uber cabs to and from restaurants or anywhere else for that matter. M is currently available on Facebook Messenger but only in the Bay area, for now. 

To avail M’s services, you simply touch a small button at the bottom of the Messenger app and send your request to M. The software will then “decode the natural language, ask followup questions in the message thread, and send updates as the task is completed.

Apparently, in internal tasks run, M completed a series of unique tasks including organizing dinner parties and “tracking down an unusual beverage in New Orleans”. M can be used for free and Facebook says it will eventually be available to all Facebook messenger users. 

Apart from making restaurant reservations, M can also suggest a birthday gift for your partner or even help you book a weekend getaway. According to David Marcus, vice president of messaging products at Facebook, “It can perform tasks that none of the others can,” That’s because, in addition to using artificial intelligence to complete its tasks, M is powered by actual people.

Sounds fantastic, we can’t wait for M! If only M could cook, as well.