Facebook has bought the Palo Alto-based artificial intelligence startup. Facebook has bought Ozlo help build its virtual assistant application out of Messenger for the users.
Ozlo’s strength is in recognising text-based conversations. Further, it can understand and give answers to various questions that have simple yes or no answers. Ozlo calls it “probabilistic assertions of truth.”
The company website has a demo depicting its AI assistant answering question whether or not a restaurant is “group friendly”? The answer is an output of analysis from a database of multiple reviews.
There are 30 employees in Ozlo. A Facebook spokesperson has confirmed that majority of the existing employees would join the Messenger office in California. This makes it an acquihire.
Facebook has bought the company for its technology and workforce. Ozlo’s technology will combine with the Messenger’s technology. However, it is still not clear whether the technology will combine with the existing Messenger’s virtual assistant, M.
Moreover, both the firms have refused to comment on the financial terms of the deal.
Messenger had started the AI last year. Based on the conversations a user could book a cab or remit money to a friend on Messenger.
Up till now, Facebook is building an AI assistant based on text queries. Whereas, companies like Google, Apple and Amazon are building a voice controlled AI assistant.