Facebook testing ‘Moneypenny’ human-powered digital assistant, reports say

New service built into social network's Messenger chat app aids with product research and purchases, connecting users with knowledgeable people

Facebook is testing a service called "Moneypenny" that connects users of its Messenger chat app to real people for product-buying advice, according to reports.

Rather than being a virtual assistant similar to Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, Amazon's Alexa or Google Now, Moneypenny is apparently powered by humans, similar to a concierge system.