TikTok is testing the AI ​​chatbot called Tako

TikTok is testing an AI chatbot called Tako that can recommend videos based on what people ask of it, according to screenshots of the feature shared with The edge.

If TikTok ends up making it widely available, the chatbot could “dramatically change search and navigation” in the app, according to Daniel Buchuk of Watchful Technologies, a company that spots these kinds of upcoming app changes for Fortune companies. 500.

In the test screenshots that Buchuk shared with The edge, Tako sits above the TikTok profile icon to the right of a video. Tap it to open a chat screen, where the bot seems capable of answering a wide range of queries. It is unclear which AI model TikTok is using to power Tako.

Tako will display suggested prompts to help a user start a conversation with the bot. According to Buchuk, “If I watch food videos and ask for a recipe, I will get TikTok videos associated with the recipe, or if I ask for good art exhibitions in Paris, videos will be displayed next to a list of suggestions in the answer.” A prompt suggested by Tako in a screenshot reads: “What is the significance of the coronation of King Charles III?

A TikTok spokesperson, Zachary Kizer, called the chatbot “a limited experience” and said The edge that it is not currently available to users in North America or Europe. In a tweet, the company said the test was only done in the Philippines.

“We are always exploring new technologies that add value to our community,” he said in an emailed statement. “In select markets, we’re testing new ways to fuel 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. .”

As spotted by the lawyer Josh Gerben, TikTok recently filed a trademark application for “chatbot software” called Tako, which suggests the company is gearing up for a broader release. It wouldn’t be the first social media app to jump on the chatbot bandwagon in recent months. In April, Snapchat made its My AI bot available to everyone for free, and Mark Zuckerberg recently told Meta investors that he wanted to “introduce AI agents to billions of people.”