The company’s AI-powered chatbot will know which websites users have visited and use that information to personalize its algorithmic actions.
Meta is taking another step toward making its feed recommendations and AI responses more personalized by integrating data collected from advertising partners into its algorithm.
Meta collects data from ad partners to personalize ad content, including information passed through the Meta Pixel code on a website, which sends information about site visitor activity back to Meta. This allows Meta to show more relevant ads based on off-platform actions. Now, that same information will also power improved algorithmic recommendations and AI responses.
As Meta explains: “We’re updating how we use information that other businesses already share with Meta. We already use this data – like info about games you play or purchases you make on other sites – to make the ads we show you more relevant. Going forward, we’ll use this information to personalize other aspects of your experience on the site, including the content you see in your feed and AI responses.”
Of course, Meta is framing this as a harmless update. The company gave an example of a user who recently bought a tent online and may now see more camping videos.
In some ways, this update is relatively limited in scope and fairly modest in terms of data usage. But likely, the more valuable element for Meta is the personalization of Meta AI responses, which will now be able to factor in more off-platform activity information to provide more relevant, targeted answers.
Through this, Meta AI will know which websites each user has visited, what they viewed on them, what they purchased, and other details. This expanded data set will enable increasingly personalized AI-generated responses, another step toward Meta’s concept of providing ‘personal superintelligence’ to everyone.
This approach is particularly interesting for companies and entrepreneurs who use Meta’s platforms to promote their services and products. You can learn more about the benefits of this format here: Why do you need a business account on Instagram
Imagine a Meta AI chatbot that knows your brand preferences and off-platform activity. This will help create increasingly personalized AI bots that will feel more familiar to users. That knowledge and understanding can then be conveyed in a conversational tone. In turn, many users may come to love Meta’s AI bots, which will increasingly seem capable of thinking, truly knowing users, and acting as trusted friends.
But that is not the case. AI chatbots do not think, they have no consciousness, and they only impress by their speed in processing vast amounts of data. This, in turn, may convince people that these AI tools are intelligent and provide balanced, thoughtful advice.
Such misinterpretation could lead to concerning outcomes, as people become more dependent on AI assistants and increasingly believe these tools truly know them. However, AI systems are no more alive than the Google search engine, which uses binary input to produce approximate, calculated answers.
Increasing the volume of input data will make chatbots more responsive, which, in turn, might make them start to seem creepy. But the point is that these tools only create the illusion of human understanding and attention, mimicking real life.
Meta has attempted to assure users that these expanded data input capabilities will not affect existing permissions and settings.
Most importantly, Meta specifically noted in its statement that the company is not collecting any new data as part of this update. Users will still control how the company uses data to personalize their experience on the site.
To address this, Meta is also consolidating its control tools to make it easier for users to manage how their personal information is used.
“Currently, we offer two settings to manage actions that other businesses share with us: ‘Your activity off Meta Technologies’ and ‘Activity from other businesses,'” Meta stated. “Instead of maintaining two settings covering similar aspects, we’re streamlining our controls and will no longer offer the ‘Your activity off Meta Technologies’ setting, which allows you to disconnect actions other businesses share with us from your account.”
The use of data about user activity off the platform is also closely tied to privacy and security concerns. In some cases, users employ additional protection tools to increase anonymity when working with social networks. Learn more: Why do you need a proxy for Instagram
In some situations, this could be beneficial, as Meta can now provide more targeted recommendations based on a broader set of user data.
But it could also be intrusive, and using these expanded data sets in AI tools could lead to more users relying on AI bots as trusted advisors and companions.
For businesses, such algorithms mean even more precise audience targeting, which could positively impact the effectiveness of ad campaigns, contests, and other marketing activities. For example: How to run a giveaway on Instagram
And for those who regularly run large-scale promotions on social networks, this material may be helpful: Giveaway on Instagram, TikTok, VK, and YouTube via Lizaonair – how to run it without mistakes
Is this good? For Meta – yes. For everyone else – it is unclear.
Meta said the changes to data controls and usage will first take effect in the US, with other regions to follow in the coming months.
