AI & Facebook

Artificial Intelligence & its uses by Facebook

September 23, 2017, 04:00:00 AM

The companionship between machines and people is expected to become more understandable and personalized as Artificial Intelligence tools become more advanced in its technology and learn to adapt to the vigorous environment around us. So this makes AI one of the most compelling advanced technologies for the company like Facebook, Inc, whose main mode of exchange with people is only through technology.

Facebook is integrating AI across its services to enhance and enable good customer engagements. Here’s a look at how Facebook is working with AI.

Research Labs

With a focus that artificial intelligence can play a major role in helping bring the world closer together, Facebook has opened a new AI research lab in Montreal as part of Facebook AI Research (FAIR). The company currently has 3 AI research labs across Menlo Park, New York, and Paris with more than 100 scientists.

In addition, Facebook announced a $7 million in AI support for Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms (MILA), McGill University, and Université de Montréal (over 5 years). With this decision, Facebook follows AI-enthusiasts Microsoft and Google into Canada.

Collaborations

Way back in September 2016, Facebook along with Amazon, IBM, Microsoft, and DeepMind/Google created a non-profit organization—Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society (Partnership on AI)—to improve the public understanding of AI and formulate best practices within the field based on various challenges and opportunities. With time, the organization has grown with new members on board including Apple, Intel, Salesforce, SAP, Sony, McKinsey & Company and UNICEF, among others. Less than two weeks ago, Facebook together with Microsoft introduced a new open ecosystem—Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX) format for interchangeable AI frameworks. ONNX enables “models to be transferred between frameworks and thus is the first step toward an open ecosystem where AI developers can easily move between state-of-the-art tools and choose the combination that is best for them.”

AI To Use

Facebook is used by billions, generating silos of unstructured data for the company. It currently has 2.01 billion monthly active users (as of June 30, 2017), which is 26% of the world population. This can be a great resource provided there are tools in place to see meaning in that data to reach logical conclusions and solutions. Overall, AI-backed tools can enhance the relevance, accuracy, and appeal of content and advertisements, resulting in higher and better user engagement and experience. This would directly strength Facebook’s financials since advertising powers 97% of it is revenue. This makes AI a powerful tool and an integral part of Facebook’s present and future journey to endure.