A SUMMARY
- After being initially restricted to some areas, Meta’s AI chatbot is now available to more WhatsApp users worldwide.
- By tapping the corresponding button in the upper right corner of the Chats page, users can also access Meta AI within WhatsApp.
- Over the past few months, WhatsApp has been exploring additional AI technologies, such as those for image editing and customer assistance.
Similar to other contemporary IT companies, Meta launched its AI chatbot in September of last year and has since jumped headfirst into the field. At the time, we also discovered that its products, like WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and others, will gradually incorporate AI features.
Although Messenger and Instagram have already begun to include AI functions, WhatsApp has been a little hesitant to add new features. That may soon change, though, as the messaging app is now allowing more users to use Meta AI’s search bar.
In November, WhatsApp’s generative AI integration was first shown to us. The AI chatbot was then included to the app’s search bar via a recent beta version of WhatsApp for Android.
WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is now extending the trial to more users worldwide. Originally, the Meta AI integration in the search bar was only available in a few areas.
The experiment seems to be operational for users of both iOS and Android, and the publication does not indicate which version of the program is required to make this possible. This is an interesting development.
We have already seen a preview of this updated search bar for Android, courtesy to last month’s beta release, even if WABetaInfo was only able to collect screenshots from the iOS version.
Meta AI will reportedly supercharge the search bar, but conventional search functions like finding a specific message, group, or contact will still operate.
In addition, WABetaInfo offers more details about the Meta AI integration, stating that information won’t be sent to Meta’s servers unless a user queries the chatbot.
Additionally, it is stated that Meta AI generates its suggested prompts at random and does not gather user data in order to customize them.
WhatsApp has previously experimented with different AI techniques.
WhatsApp has tried a number of AI tools over the past few months, including the integrated chatbot experience.
October of last year was when we initially learned about AI-powered customer service, and a month later, the integrated chatbot debuted.
In March 2024, an Android beta of WhatsApp was discovered that was utilizing AI-powered image editing features from Instagram, its sibling app, such as Backdrop, Restyle, and Expand.
Developers at WhatsApp are working to enhance current features in beta versions, but they are not focusing on adding AI-based features.
The chat app was testing a potentially big update earlier this week to make sure the image editing experience on big screens, such tablets and foldables, is uniform across all platforms.
