Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
Meta rolled out its AI chatbot on Threads this week, and it comes with a catch you didn’t agree to.
The new @meta.ai account, reported by Engadget, works a lot like Grok on X. You can tag it in a conversation, and it jumps in with answers about trending topics, live sports, entertainment, or breaking news.
The bot is currently in early beta access, limited to users in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Argentina, and Singapore. Its public-facing account @meta.ai is visible to everyone on the platform, but here’s the problem: you cannot block it.
People are angry because the three-dot menu next to @meta.ai’s profile does not have a block option, unlike every other account on the platform.
Some users tried to report it as spam, which usually triggers a block prompt, only to find the option either missing or broken. “Users cannot block Meta AI” became one of the top trending topics on Threads, with over a million posts demanding answers.
Meta spokesperson Christine Pai told TheVerge that users can mute the bot, hide its replies, or tap “Not interested.”
However, those options are not the same as blocking, though. They can reduce how much you see the bot after the fact, but they do not stop it from appearing in your conversations entirely.
The backlash is part of a bigger conversation happening across social media right now. Companies are pushing AI into every corner of your feed, and users are pushing back.
Meta has already been rolling out AI features across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads is just the latest addition to that list.
For Meta, it is a strategy to keep users engaged on its platform and make Threads more competitive against X. The problem is that most people want AI to be something they can choose, not something they are stuck with.
Meta says it will keep collecting feedback during the beta before expanding further. Whether that feedback actually changes anything remains to be seen.
Google just flipped a switch on Android phones, and you probably didn’t notice. A feature called Contextual Suggestions is currently rolling out to Android devices, enabled by default.
It does what the name implies: watching what you do, learning your habits, and using the information to provide you with contextual suggestions or actions that you might perform next (via compatible apps).
Alright, before you balk at the idea, hear me out. AI is everywhere, and in a fashion that an average screen-hooked modern human won’t always appreciate. But amidst the hailstorm of AI integrations, there are a few nuggets of joy. Effortlessly turning stills into a short clip is one such trick that I wish I could use, without any intrusive permissions or token shenanigans, of course.
I stumbled into this perk on my current daily driver, the Honor 600 Pro, and the results have been pleasing. It’s not exactly a fresh trick. But what arrested my attention is the refined form that Honor is presenting it. No sign-up hassles. A neat integration in the system gallery. And a straightforward conversion. There’s even a dedicated key on the phone that instantly takes you into this AI image transformation.
We have reached the point where the processor inside a flagship phone may cost as much as an entire budget Android phone. That sounds absurd, but it also feels exactly like where premium phones are headed. Samsung already raised the Galaxy S26’s starting price by $100 over the Galaxy S25, and the next wave of Android flagships could climb even higher.
According to a new leak from tipster Abhishek Yadav, Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could cost upward of $300, significantly raising the bill of materials for next-generation Android flagships.
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