Facebook’s Messenger Platform launched, allows businesses to build bots

Facebook wants to ensure that Messenger is the new way that businesses can connect with people, pushing the platform and new bot support at today’s F8 annual developers conference.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke for the first 30 minutes of the opening keynote, outlining a broad vision of a world that’s better by being more connected. Messenger had perhaps the starring role in this, which got further detailed by others in following talks.

A new Messenger Platform was announced, allowing developers to create bots that can automatically interact with customers, even to perform such actions like purchasing shoes:

https://twitter.com/dannysullivan/status/719948548859502592

Facebook stressed that the bots won’t simply be “command-line” chatbots that have gotten attention recently but will be more featured and app-like:

https://twitter.com/dannysullivan/status/719948250384498688

Facebook also repeatedly positioned Messenger as a type of universal app that will prove useful in a world where people are suffering from app-fatigue, a platform that all businesses can easily use to connect with people.

Zuckerberg also said that Messenger, along with development of Live and 360 video, are top priorities over the coming five years:

https://twitter.com/dannysullivan/status/719935977645445121

Here are some of our follow-up stories out of the event:

• Facebook Messenger positioned as replacement for mobile web, apps & SMS
• How I Sent Mark Zuckerberg flowers using a Facebook Messenger bot
• Facebook exposes Page posts’ Reaction counts through new API
• Facebook brings its Instapaper-like Save button to wider web

Below, our live blog has more news, plus it touches on some of the Live and 360 video announcements.