Facebook M, virtual assistant ready: how does it work?

Facebook has officially announced that very soon, a new feature will be integrated into the social networking platform: a virtual assistant.
The project is called Facebook M, probably because the new option is closely linked to Messenger.
It is in this specific area of the platform that the virtual assistant will function, not on the newsfeed and timeline; not at the moment, at least.
Facebook M tests have officially begun in recent hours, involving a select number of users residing in the urban area of San Francisco, in the United States.
Unlike the virtual assistants to which we have become accustomed – think of Siri, Cortana, and Google Now – Facebook M is activated in chat and interacts with the user through this channel.
This is an interaction that will operate on two fronts: the automated one of artificial intelligence, thus with the help of programs and algorithms capable of interpreting the user’s requests.
On the other hand, in case of unclear requests or communication difficulties, a second layer of support will come into play: human staff who can guide artificial intelligence when, for example, a question is not formulated correctly and therefore is not easily interpreted by the system.
In which areas, then, will Facebook M effectively operate?
The virtual assistant from Menlo Park will be used to conduct online purchases, make restaurant reservations, plan trips, and manage some appointments.
This means, for example, that the user can have Facebook M search online for an item of interest, even decide to complete the order and manage the payment.
Indeed, it has been possible to pay for services or purchases on Messenger for some time now, so Facebook M enters a field already opened by Facebook.

The ultimate goal is monetization, there is no doubt about it: whether it is achieved by helping users conclude online deals or simply by finding new information, it is evident.
The mere fact of knowing what subscribers are really looking for and how much they are willing to spend on a certain item can be a great source of interest for manufacturing companies that – theoretically – could find a well-informed partner in Facebook.
Of course, the latter is only one possible interpretation of one of the outcomes that the Facebook M project might eventually have: these are not company statements, only hypotheses.