Introducing ‘Tako’ – The TikTok Chatbot

In a move that should surprise nobody, TikTok has announced they are in the early stages of developing their own AI chatbot – appropriately named “Tako”.

"We're in the early stages of exploring chatbot tools with a limited test of Tako with select users in the Philippines. Tako is an AI-powered tool to help with search and discovery on TikTok," TikTok comms said in a tweet on Thursday. "Tako is powered by a third-party chat assistant and is designed to help make it easier to discover entertaining and inspiring content on TikTok. No current plans for this beyond these early tests, but we're excited to hear your feedback!"

In a report by TechCrunch, Tako will show up on the right side of the screen in TikTok, where users can interact with it to ask the chatbot questions about a video, ask for new content, or search questions.

"Being at the forefront of innovation is core to building the TikTok experience, and we’re always exploring new technologies that add value to our community," a TikTok spokesman told TechCrunch. "In select markets, we’re testing new ways to power search and discovery on TikTok, and we look forward to learning from our community as we continue to create a safe place that entertains, inspires creativity and drives culture."

Story via Mashable