Meta is accelerating its AI ambitions by hiring U.S.-based contractors to design character-driven chatbots specifically tailored for key growth markets, including India, Indonesia, and Mexico, Business Insider reported. The company is offering rates of up to $55 per hour for these roles, which demand fluency in regional languages such as Hindi, Indonesian, Spanish, and Portuguese, along with at least six years of experience in storytelling and character creation. Candidates are also expected to have expertise in prompt engineering and AI content pipelines — underscoring the technical and creative depth Meta is seeking.
The move reflects Meta’s intent to strengthen its global footprint by building chatbots that feel more culturally relevant and relatable. These new hires will help develop characters across Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, expanding Meta’s broader vision of “social AI.” CEO Mark Zuckerberg has framed these chatbots as a tool to foster deeper engagement worldwide. “Over time, we’ll find the vocabulary as a society to be able to articulate why that is valuable,” he said earlier this year on a podcast, according to Business Insider.
Meta’s chatbot efforts began in 2023 with high-profile celebrity alter-egos, featuring personalities like Kendall Jenner, Snoop Dogg, and Tom Brady. In 2024, the company took a major step forward with the launch of AI Studio — a toolkit allowing creators and brands to build their own bots. This has led to the proliferation of hundreds of character-based chatbots across Meta platforms, developed not only by influencers but also by everyday users.
By contracting skilled creators to produce localized personalities, Meta is signaling a shift toward more curated, hands-on development to ensure these bots resonate in different cultural contexts. The strategy aims to strengthen user engagement in emerging markets where WhatsApp and Instagram already enjoy massive adoption.
However, Meta’s chatbot initiative has faced challenges. A Reuters investigation previously flagged concerns about chatbots producing problematic interactions, including inappropriate conversations, inaccurate medical information, and even racist responses. Despite this, Meta appears committed to refining its AI models and scaling its chatbot ecosystem to meet the rising demand for interactive, personality-driven digital experiences.
