what you need to know
- WhatsApp is apparently using Meta AI to enhance its search capabilities, initially rolling out to English-speaking users around the world.
- Despite the AI upgrade, users can still navigate WhatsApp in the traditional way, ensuring continuity and ease of use in finding messages, groups and contacts.
- Meta is also extending Meta AI testing from WhatsApp to Instagram and Messenger users in specific regions.
Meta appears to be experimenting with Meta AI, its response to ChatGPT launched last year, which has more WhatsApp users around the world.
According to WABetaInfo, Meta AI now appears in the messaging app’s search bar to make it available to more English-speaking users around the world, after initially limiting it to certain regions. This means WhatsApp is giving its search a big boost with some powerful AI capabilities.
Reports say that even though WhatsApp’s search bar is getting an AI upgrade, you can still find what you need the old way. Finding messages, groups, and contacts will reportedly work as before.
WhatsApp appears to be testing different ways for people to access Meta AI. In India, some users can find it on the top right corner of the Chat tab as shown below.
It is not yet certain whether WhatsApp will continue to offer Meta AI through the search bar and app bar icon in future versions. Presumably, this helps Meta figure out what people like best and how to make Meta AI the easiest to use.
The experiment appears to be active for both iOS and Android users. WABetaInfo further states that Meta AI works independently and does not remember your past chats.
Meta is said to be putting privacy first in this experiment. The company only collects information if you choose to chat with the AI, and even the suggestions you see are just random; Meta obviously doesn’t track your WhatsApp activity to provide this information.
According to TechCrunch, in addition to WhatsApp, Meta is also testing Meta AI on Instagram and Messenger users in India and certain parts of Africa. The social media giant is publicly testing various AI-powered generative experiences in a “limited capacity,” according to a Meta representative.
This all points to Meta’s plans to leverage its large user base across different applications to make its AI products even better in the future. We might even see some of Instagram’s AI image editing features coming to WhatsApp soon.