Neighborhood social network Nextdoor is introducing new features powered by generative AI, the company announced Tuesday. In particular, Nextdoor is launching a new “Assistant” feature that helps app users write better posts. The new Assistant feature, which is being tested with select users, is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The Assistant feature is designed to help users write posts that are more likely to generate positive community engagement. When you write a new post, users will start seeing a revised suggestion that they can review and edit before finishing the post. Additionally, the Assistant will suggest ways to reframe potentially harmful comments to make the same point in a friendlier way.
“With the launch of ChatGPT in November, we saw an opportunity to train the ChatGPT technology in addition to our own local knowledge to create something that we believe really helps users create a more engaging post,” said Sarah Friar , CEO of Nextdoor, to TechCrunch in an interview. “Now we’re giving you an assistant that says, ‘Hey, neighbor, would you like to rephrase or reword this post to get more neighbors to comment and react to it.'” It’s able to help you create posts and ultimately get your neighborhood involved.”
Nextdoor currently has a “Kindness Reminder” feature that notifies users of the platform’s community guidelines and gives users an opportunity to reflect on a potentially harmful post. With the new Assistant feature, Nextdoor will begin helping users rewrite posts to make them more friendly. Let’s say you and a neighbor are discussing the addition of new speed bumps in your neighborhood and you write a heated response. The Assistant will help you draft or reword your post to ensure your message is conveyed in a balanced and constructive way.
Additionally, Nextdoor says new generative AI technologies allow the platform to deliver more personalized and relevant content to users by analyzing the topic and context of conversations. As a result, Nextdoor can better match content to users and provide more targeted recommendations for local news, events and activities.
Friar says Nextdoor is prioritizing security with this release, noting that users may not have to interact with the new features. For example, you don’t have to accept the suggestions that the Assistant makes, you can go ahead and post however you want while following the platform’s community guidelines.
Nextdoor initially began testing the new features with 25% of its users and is making them more widely available starting today, but the company doesn’t yet plan to make the features available to 100% of its user base . Friar says Nextdoor plans to continue testing features and making sure it’s deploying the technology safely before making it available to everyone. The features will roll out across the U.S. overtime and eventually to other markets where Nextdoor is available.
“We’re going to be watching to make sure there are no unintended consequences, and of course we’re going to be held accountable,” Frare said. “We’re going to continue to move at the right pace to make sure we’re doing it the right way. With any new technology, there’s always concern about what could happen, but at the same time, we want AI to be available to the masses. I think everyone has the right to understand how this technology can make their lives more efficient.”
Nextdoor plans to continue testing generative AI models and is building a dedicated generative AI team led by the company’s head of AI Qi He, who joined Nextdoor last year after more than eight years at LinkedIn . The dedicated team will hire product leaders and engineers to advance the company’s use of AI across its platform.
Last year, Nextdoor revamped its app with new profiles and more community-building features. The changes came as the social network developed a reputation for racial profiling over the years, prompting Nextdoor to release specific features to do so and the company’s former CEO to step down. The renovation was part of Nextdoor’s larger vision and goal to create a welcoming neighborhood both online and offline.
Today, Nextdoor, the popular hyperlocal social network, has announced the launch of their new feature, ‘Assistant’ powered by the groundbreaking artificial intelligence OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This new feature will revolutionize the way users interact with the platform, allowing them to receive real-time feedback and advice from an AI-powered helper.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a natural language processing model that can generate coherent, human-like dialogue. It was built using a unique large-scale training process, which combines insights from both traditional chatbot training and machine learning research to produce life-like, context-rich conversations. The technology powers Nextdoor’s ‘Assistant’ feature, allowing users to easily interact with the social network in a more natural and human-like manner.
Ikaroa, a full stack tech company, has developed a web application that utilizes and interacts with the OpenAI API. With their integration of this powerful API, users can now upload and query data in an engaging and interactive manner. The application also allows developers to take full advantage of Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing capabilities.
Overall, the release of Nextdoor’s new AI-powered ‘Assistant’ feature promises to revolutionize the way users interact with the platform and make the process of asking questions much smoother and more intuitive. Now, with the help of Ikaroa and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, users can ask their questions more naturally and intuitively. This is just the start of a truly exciting journey in the world of AI technology!
