Facebook adds three new artificial intelligence based 'quick replies' to the M, the virtual assistant on Messenger

Facebook has added three new automatic suggestions using **Artificial Intelligence** (AI) to the Messenger app’s **virtual assistant** ‘M’. [caption id=“attachment_3719249” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Image: Reuters[/caption] ‘M’ will now suggest users several animated GIF options, pegged to common expressions like ’thank you’, Fortune reported late on Thursday. It will also provide a series of ‘Quick Replies’ — ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘I think so’, anytime someone is asked a simple question. Messenger has partnered with movie ticketing service Fandango on a feature that suggests nearby showtimes and theatres when users mention a recently released movie in their conversations. The feature also gives options to book movie tickets directly from the Messenger app, the report added. Users have the option to mute the assistant in the app’s settings and also to dismiss any suggestions it offers. Facebook launched ‘M’ in the Messenger app in April this year and has been adding new features to it backed by machine learning technology ever since. In June, Messenger had rolled out a feature that provided suggestions to users to send their friends virtual birthday cards. Facebook **Messenger recently reached 1.3 billion monthly active user mark** globally. The Messenger surpassed the one billion monthly active users (MAUs) mark in July 2016. “We’ve continued working hard to make Messenger the best it can be, introducing new masks, filters and reactions for video chat,… making our virtual personal assistant available in more places around the world,” Facebook said in a post. With inputs from IANS