WhatsApp is soon getting AI search and here's how it will work

Meta announced a slew of artificial intelligence-powered tools at its Connect conference last year. Among them was integrating the company’s generative AI called Meta AI into WhatsApp, but CEO Mark Zuckerberg did not say when it would happen. A new report has suggested Meta AI may soon be coming to WhatsApp as the feature is now accessible to beta testers. WhatsApp could be developing a feature to allow users to ask anything to Meta AI within the app.

What is Meta AI?

Meta AI is an AI service, developed by Meta, that can work inside apps such as WhatsApp and Instagram to allow users with different tasks. It can answer questions, provide information on a topic, and even help them generate ideas. Through integration into an app, Meta AI will become capable of increasing user interaction and accessibility. Meta (formerly Facebook) has been developing Meta AI without a word on when it will be ready for the market.

WhatsApp’s integration of Meta AI (Image: WABetaInfo)

WhatsApp Meta AI integration

According to the WhatsApp watchdog WABetaInfo, the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.7.14 version integrated Meta AI into the search bar for users to ask any queries. A previous version did not have this integration. Instead, it included a Meta AI shortcut that users could show or hide to summon it. However, it looks like that was not a feasible implementation of Meta AI, which is why WhatsApp decided to test Meta AI in the search bar. This will eliminate the need to open a conversation with Meta AI manually.

Users could type their questions or commands directly into the search bar and ask Meta AI to respond. In the screenshot attached to the WABetaInfo report, WhatsApp offers users suggestions, such as “fire dancing videos” or “jokes about birds.” It is currently unclear how WhatsApp would collect data to offer suggestions or if it would use the search query to populate related suggestions. Since the feature is still in development, WhatsApp may or may not change the implementation of Meta AI into the app. It is also unclear when WhatsApp will roll out this feature to stable users.