US Government Deploys AI Chatbot and Instagram Tests Community Chat Feature
- The US government has deployed an AI chatbot called GSAi to 1,500 federal workers
- GSAi is designed to support general tasks and analyze contract data
- The deployment of GSAi has raised concerns about job automation and data privacy
- Instagram is testing a community chat feature similar to Discord
- The feature allows users to organize groups of up to 250 people and includes built-in moderation tools
US Government's AI Chatbot Deployment
The General Services Administration (GSA) has deployed a proprietary chatbot called GSAi to 1,500 federal workers. The chatbot is designed to support general tasks, such as drafting emails and summarizing text, and is tailored for safe government use. The GSA hopes to eventually deploy GSAi across the entire agency and use it to analyze contract and procurement data.
The deployment of GSAi has raised concerns about job automation and the potential for layoffs. A prominent AI expert has questioned the larger strategy behind the deployment, suggesting that it may be used to justify further layoffs. The GSA has announced plans to shrink its tech branch by 50% and focus on more public-facing projects.
Instagram's Community Chat Feature
Meanwhile, Instagram is testing a community chat feature that allows users to organize groups of up to 250 people. The feature, which is similar to Discord, allows individual users to form chats around specific topics and control who can join. The feature also includes built-in moderation tools, such as the ability for admins to remove messages and members.
It is not clear when or if the feature will be launched, but Meta has previously released similar features in its other apps, such as WhatsApp and Facebook. The feature is seen as a way to help people connect with others who share similar interests and find new communities.