Having a personal assistant called M puts one in mind of Bond but Facebook’s new service is less espionage and more Siri (or Cortana for that matter). Yes, it is Facebook’s very own digital assistant that is being beta-tested in the US.

It differs from Siri and Cortana in three important ways: first of all, it is primarily text-based rather than relying on voice activation; secondly, it is embedded within the Facebook Messenger app (a bit limiting, surely?); and thirdly, it doesn't just rely on AI software because M is in part people-powered.

In theory, this means that instead of finding you a nearby restaurant, M can also do the booking and send on the confirmation. Some examples, provided by M, of what it can act on, include: “Can you help me order flowers for my mom’s birthday?” and “Is there a dog-friendly beach nearby?”. Watch this space. https://www.messenger.com/