Introduction
AI chatbots are becoming increasingly common and it seems like every popular app is developing their own chat bot. It's understandable because AI and chatbots are all the rage right now, and companies wouldn't want to miss out on this trend. That's probably why TikTok is experimenting with a new feature called Taco, an AI-powered chatbot that can recommend videos based on what you ask it.
What is Taco?
Taco is not like any other chat bot you've seen before. It can talk to you in natural language and answer all kinds of questions. You can ask it to show you hilarious videos of cats or teach you how to make slime, and it will find the best TikTok videos for you. Along with some text replies, it can also help you explore the things you're curious about, like History, Science, Art, or whatever you want.
Taco is currently being tested in some versions of The TikTok app on Apple devices. According to an app intelligence firm called Watchful Technologies, they said that Taco could totally change the way we search and browse videos on the app because it would make it easier and faster for us to find videos that we like and care about.
How Does Taco Work?
According to screenshots of the test shared by Watchful Technologies, Taco sits above the TikTok profile icon to the right of a video. When you tap on it, it opens up a chat screen where you can start a conversation with the bot.
Taco will display some suggested prompts to help you out, like "What is the significance of King Charles III's coronation?" or "Show me some dance challenges". You can also type in your own questions or requests and see what Taco comes up with.
TikTok confirmed that Taco is a limited experiment and said that it's only available in the Philippines for now. A spokesperson for TikTok said that they're always exploring new technologies that add value to their community and improve search and discovery on the platform. They also said that they look forward to learning from their community as they continue to create a safe place that entertains, inspires creativity, and drives culture.
The AI Model Behind Taco
What is the AI model behind Taco? How does it understand and generate natural language? Well, that's a bit of a mystery. TikTok did not reveal any details about the AI provider or technology they're using for Taco.
However, Watchful Technologies said that they found evidence that TikTok is using an unknown third-party AI provider and not its own in-house AI technologies. This is surprising considering that TikTok is one of the most popular and influential social media apps in the world with over 1 billion monthly active users.
Why would TikTok rely on an external AI provider instead of developing its own AI capabilities? One possible reason is that TikTok is facing some regulatory challenges and scrutiny in some markets, especially in the U.S., where it was accused of posing a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership.
By using a third-party AI provider, TikTok might be trying to avoid further complications and controversies. Another possible reason is that TikTok is simply experimenting with different AI models and providers to see which one works best for its platform and users. Maybe they are planning to switch to their own AI technologies once they find the optimal solution. Or maybe they're just testing the waters and seeing how users react to Taco before making any big decisions.
Implications for Content Discovery and the Search Market
Whatever the case may be, Taco is a feature that could have huge implications for content discovery and consumption on TikTok. Taco could also have an impact on the broader search market and industry.
If Taco proves to be effective and popular among TikTok users, it could challenge Google's dominance in the search space. Google has been the undisputed leader in web search for decades, but it has struggled to keep up with the rise of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok.
These platforms have become sources of information and entertainment for millions of people around the world who often prefer to use them instead of Google for finding content. TikTok has already surpassed Google in terms of time spent per user per month in the US, which shows how addictive and engaging its short-form video format is.
If TikTok adds Taco as a new way of finding information on its platform, it could further increase its user retention and engagement rates, as well as attract new users who are looking for a more interactive and personalized way of searching for content online.
TikTok could potentially become a serious competitor for Google in terms of search advertising revenue. Search advertising is one of Google's main sources of income, generating over $100 billion in 2020. If TikTok can offer advertisers a way to reach users who are actively searching for content related to their products or services through Taco, it could take away some of Google's market share and revenue.
Of course, this is all speculation at this point. We don't know if Taco will ever become a widely available feature on TikTok or how well it will perform compared to Google or other search engines. We don't know if users will embrace Taco as a new way of discovering content on TikTok or if they will prefer to stick with their existing habits and preferences. We don't know if advertisers will see value in using Taco as a new channel for reaching potential customers or if they will remain loyal to Google or other platforms.
What we do know is that Taco is an innovative and exciting feature that shows how far AI technology has come and how much potential it has for transforming social media platforms like TikTok. We also know that it is a sign of how competitive and dynamic the search market is becoming and how much room there is for improvement and innovation.
Conclusion
What do you think about Taco? Do you think it's a cool feature that will make TikTok more fun and useful? Or do you think it's a risky feature that will cause problems for TikTok and its users? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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