Facebook has now officially released their brand new artificial intelligence-driven virtual assistant for Facebook Messenger. The new assistant, called "Messenger M," is a helpful chat integrated software that can assist users with a variety of task.

Big name tech companies have already presented their different AI-driven virtual assistants in the past few years, with the latest one being "Bixby" from Samsung. However, Facebook's new assistant isn't really a full-fledged smartphone assistant like Bixby or Google Assistant but is instead a simple background software that keeps track of keywords mentioned in conversation and then reacts appropriately.

According to GSM Arena, Facebook's new virtual assistant is actually more akin to Google's Assistant when it first debuted for Google Allo. As of the moment, the assistant is only able to do a handful of tasks, but that is expected to grow as Facebook continues to develop and update the software.

The Facebook Messenger app hasn't really been revamped to accommodate the new virtual assistant, as it only appears via a pop-up bubble when needed. According to The Verge, Messenger M appears only in certain situations where it thinks it is needed based on what it has gathered from the text in the conversation.

One great example of its function is when someone asks for a user's location. A bubble then appears automatically, which can be clicked to instantly share the user's location on a map. As of its official launch, Messenger M's core functions only includes sticker suggestion, location sharing, making plans, setting appointments, setting alarms, making polls, and requesting a ride via Uber or Lyft.

Facebook has announced that the new Messenger M assistant has already started rolling out for users in the United States. The company also mentioned that other territories outside the country should also get the update eventually. The assistant is available on the latest version of Facebook Messenger for both iOS and Android smartphones.