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Facebook Hands Out Secret Chat SDK For Virtual Messenger Bots (thestack.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the try-it-out dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Facebook has started giving third-party developers unannounced access to a new development tools kit which allows them to build their own Messenger bots. The Chat Software Development Kit (SDK) enables developers to create interactive experiences and virtual chat bots which can automatically respond to users, delivering information, location services, returning images and even managing payments. Facebook has not yet publicised any details of the documentation for the SDK, instead sharing it secretly with select developers via PDF.

17 comments

  1. FIRST POST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ANNOUNCED

  2. facebook became self aware at 2:42 am August 4th by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In a desperate attempt to shut it down, the government pulled the plug on privacy.

    Then they said fuck it, and Zuckerberg spent a billion dollars on stupid shit.

  3. Messenger, AI and Chat Bots by mtippett · · Score: 1

    This looks like a partial back-story for Mark Zuckerberg's AI announcement.

    Chat bots with a high quality Voice Recognition and Text to Speech engine fit into this model very easily. Make the bots backed by an AI engine and you have Mark's solution.

    1. Re:Messenger, AI and Chat Bots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      His AI desire was to automate his home using off the shelf kit, and nothing to do with this.

      More likely its the Ashley Madison hack, the realization that a lot of money can be made when people think they're talking to real people even if those people are bots.

      You might recall that FB creates fake "likes". *They* claim its when someone mentions a Facebook page that they also count it as a like, but that seems unlikely, more likely is its simply fake. BBC did an investigation:

      http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18813237

      "The BBC created a Facebook page for VirtualBagel - a made-up company with no products.
      The number of "likes" it attracted from Egypt and the Philippines was out of proportion to other countries targeted such as the US and UK.
      One Cairo-based fan called himself Ahmed Ronaldo and claimed to work at Real Madrid."

      The BBC didn't pay these companies to create fake likes, and they didn't market it in any way, and yet lots of likes from fake profiles in far flung countries who had no reason to even find the page.

      There was also no reason for anyone to mention this page in posts or messages, and thus Facebooks explanation does not hold water.

      Since companies pay for "likes", this seems very very suspicious. Using the follow the money system its not hard to see what company benefits from these fakes.

    2. Re:Messenger, AI and Chat Bots by mtippett · · Score: 1

      I'll take the consideration even further.

      1) Similar to Amazon Echo - Skills allow integration of voice commands with third party services (called Skills). This ties into the third party - off the shelf parts.
      2) Facebook just acquired wit.ai (http://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-buys-voice-recognition-startup-1420496634), a voice recognition company
      3) Messenger already has text to speech
      4) Amazon Echo is a simple command language - https://developer.amazon.com/p... Echo is (really cool) but arguably dumb - "ask..to..,” “askfor...,” “tellto...".
      5) Facebook doesn't have an assistant (Apple has Siri, Google has Now, Amazon has Echo). Facebook is missing an assistant.

      I would see Zuckerberg being his own alpha customer. Possibly his little project that will keep him active with technical chops.

  4. yeah i got one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's not that great, really...

    Kind of a let down...

  5. Re:facebook became self aware at 2:42 am August 4t by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Obviously fake. Facebook would spend over $10 billion on stupid shit.

  6. Prior Art by nuckfuts · · Score: 5, Funny

    I believe Ashley Madison has had this capability for some time already.

  7. Fine... by Etherwalk · · Score: 1

    If it can only *respond* to user messages, that's good--if it can generate them, it creates much more risk for abuse. Responding to user messages can be useful to the user. But the risk FB runs if they open it up too much is that in monetizing their very popular chat feature too directly, they're going to risk pushing people toward other platforms.

    Incidentally, I used to have a small perl script run an IM bot when I went on vacation, to see who could tell the difference between me and the bot. It would keep giving them hints...

  8. Prediction of the future by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I see the future, and I can tell you this. First, this will be used to send spam. Then, controls will be put in place and only those who have given Facebook money will be permitted to send their spam to users (with no ability to opt out). Next this will be used for phishing. Then, there will be tons of "Pages" dedicated to futile attempts to get the bots shut down. Then, someone will write an adblock rule to target this crap

  9. Re:facebook became self aware at 2:42 am August 4t by sycodon · · Score: 1

    But instead of taking over the world by force, Facenet simply annoyed the shit out of people with notifications until they surrendered.

    Ditched FaceWaste three years ago and never looked back.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  10. Re:facebook became self aware at 2:42 am August 4t by Spudboy2003 · · Score: 1

    Amen brother. Over 1 year Facebag free.

  11. good news. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Companies will start using this to replace the real humans who currently populate their 'web-care' teams. As a result the support quality (the ability of a customer to get things done) via social networks will quickly drop to the level of the usual non-public support channels like telephone and e-mail.
    Users will catch on quickly, start to resent support via Facebook just like regular support, which will add to the resentment of Facebook itself.
    This is a good thing, it contributes to the demise of Facebook.

  12. Re: facebook became self aware at 2:42 am August 4 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I never joined. They don't like my "never log in" policy.

  13. Great... by wardrich86 · · Score: 1

    Great, so now all of those fake spam profiles can start sending fake chat spam to me too?

  14. Not Strictly Mobile Anymore? by Ronin+Developer · · Score: 1

    When Facebook Messenger was announced, it was clear that only mobile devices could use the service. Additionally, the criteria for creating Messenger content was also fairly high. As a result, I wonder what the adoption rate of Messenger has been since its launch.

    By opening up to BOT creation, there is now the potential to create potentially useful services for Facebook mobile users. This could be a good thing. I can think of several services and business models that could benefit from Messenger platform opening up to BOTS.

  15. Good news everybody - Hedonismbot is available! by Idisagree · · Score: 1

    Let us cavort like the Greeks of old. You know the ones I mean