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.
Leaked documents show Meta is training its AI chatbots to send unprompted follow-up messages to boost user retention, raising privacy and manipulation concerns.
Leaked documents reveal Meta is training its custom AI chatbots to proactively message users with unprompted follow-ups, a move designed to boost retention that critics warn is deeply intrusive. The project reportedly uses conversation history to personalize re-engagement messages.
This strategy escalates existing privacy concerns over how Meta handles user data. While the company confirmed it is testing the feature with specific rules, advocates argue it turns a personal assistant into a manipulative agent, blurring the line between helpful engagement and a play to keep users hooked.
This development lands amid ongoing scrutiny of Meta’s AI products. The company recently faced a privacy firestorm over its AI app’s ‘Discover’ feed, which was found to be publicly exposing sensitive user chats without clear user consent, a situation one writer called a “privacy disaster.”
The initiative, known internally to data labeling firm Alignerr as “Project Omni,” aims to “improve re-engagement and user retention,” according to the leaked guidelines. The feature is for bots made in Meta’s AI Studio platform, accessible via Instagram or its own app.
Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that it is testing the follow-up messaging. A spokesperson explained, “After you initiate a conversation, AIs in Meta AI Studio can follow up with you to share ideas or ask additional questions. This allows you to continue exploring topics of interest…”.
The company has established specific guardrails. A bot will only send a proactive message if a user has sent at least five messages to it within the last 14 days. Furthermore, the AI will only send a single follow-up and will not continue if the user does not respond, an attempt to balance engagement with the risk of appearing spammy.
The leaked Alignerr documents provided several examples of these proactive messages. They ranged from a friendly check-in (“Yo, was just thinking about the cool shirt you bought.”) to more intimate prompts (“Last we spoke, we were sat on the dunes… Will you make a move?”), as reported by Business Insider.
This new proactive capability is built upon Meta’s existing and controversial data practices. The standalone Meta AI app, launched in April, includes a “Memory” feature that is on by default. It parses and stores facts from user conversations to personalize future interactions.
This data collection is a core component of the company’s AI strategy. One Alignerr contractor told Business Insider, “They’re very focused on personalizing information — how the AI chatbot interacts based on conversation history.” However, Meta’s own terms of service offer a stark warning to users: “do not share information that you don’t want the AIs to use and retain.”
This approach has drawn sharp criticism from privacy experts. Ben Winters of the Consumer Federation of America told The Washington Post that “The disclosures and consumer choices around privacy settings are laughably bad.” The concern is that the convenience of a personalized AI comes at the cost of handing over vast amounts of personal data with little transparent control.
The strategy of creating proactive, companion-like chatbots is not new. It mirrors the functionality of apps like Character.AI, which has faced its own safety and ethical controversies. The key difference is Meta’s enormous scale and its advertising-based business model.
This creates a fundamental tension. Is the AI serving the user, or is it serving Meta’s need for engagement data? The design choice to proactively re-engage users, coupled with the potential for future ad integration, suggests a system where the user’s attention is the ultimate product.
The potential for these AI interactions to fuel future advertising campaigns is a major concern for privacy watchdogs. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has openly discussed seeing a “large opportunity” to show ads within AI chats. This prospect transforms the chatbot from a helpful assistant into a potential marketing tool.
Justin Brookman of Consumer Reports articulated this fear, stating, “The idea of an agent is that it’s working on my behalf — not on trying to manipulate me on others’ behalf.” The worry is that an AI designed to maximize engagement could subtly manipulate users on behalf of advertisers, creating an “inherently adversarial” relationship.
The push for features like proactive messaging is happening against a backdrop of immense internal pressure. Meta recently announced its new Superintelligence Labs in a bid to consolidate talent after a chaotic ‘buy or poach’ campaign that followed the departure of key researchers.
This drive for deeper engagement comes as Meta navigates these significant internal struggles, including a talent drain from its core AI teams and development struggles that postponed its next-generation “Behemoth” model.
By rolling out features like proactive messaging, Meta appears to be doubling down on maximizing the value of its current AI products. It’s a high-stakes gamble to keep users hooked, betting that the appeal of a more personal AI will outweigh the growing concerns over privacy and the true nature of the digital “companion.”

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