TikTok is preparing to launch a new AI chatbot called ‘Genie’ in Western markets, according to a recent trademark filing in the US.
The Genie chatbot will allow users to ask questions and get immediate responses. It will have features like simulating conversations, facilitating human-AI interaction, and generating human-like speech and text.
This appears to be an expansion of TikTok’s existing AI chatbot called ‘Tako’, which is currently only available in the Philippines. The Tako bot is designed to guide users to other videos, rather than answer complex queries.
The new Genie chatbot would integrate TikTok’s various AI features, including its ‘AI Search’ function that enables discovery both inside and outside the app. It could also incorporate TikTok’s abilities to create virtual humans and simulate voices.
This move follows similar steps by Meta, which has pushed AI chatbots across its apps. However, TikTok’s focus seems to be on making it easier for users to access its expanding AI tools and functionalities, rather than just generating text summaries.
The details of the Genie chatbot’s full capabilities and rollout plans are not yet clear. But the trademark filing suggests TikTok is looking to beef up its AI offerings to users in Western markets.
