Facebook did something strange last year: it turned off the ability to send Facebook messages from inside the Facebook apps for Android and iPhone, forcing users who wanted to use this feature to download the separate Facebook Messenger app. That move was puzzling for a long time, but with the introduction of a new digital assistant into Messenger, it's starting to make a lot more sense.

Today, messaging VP David Marcus announced Facebook M, a personal assistant backed by artificial intelligence, directly integrated into Messenger. M's artificial intelligence algorithm is "trained and supervised by people," according to Marcus, who writes that the service stands out because it can purchase items on your behalf, make travel arrangements, and even suggest gifts for your friends. One Facebook employee who was testing the app had his desk decorated in a French style, presumably from delivery services.