Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has quietly introduced its AI-powered chatbot on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger in India and several parts of Africa. This feature is gradually rolling out for both iOS and Android users, potentially powered by Llama 2 or the upcoming Llama 3 AI models.
Users can access the chatbot through the top search bar in the WhatsApp user interface. Interestingly, the design of the chatbot closely resembles that of Perplexity AI, as noted by Aravind Srinivas, the CEO of Perplexity AI, in a post on X. Despite the similarity in appearance, the integration operates independently, ensuring the privacy of private conversations on WhatsApp. User interactions with the search bar remain confidential and are not shared with Meta AI unless explicitly directed to the chatbot.
Meta AI suggests topics through the search bar or conversation, utilizing randomly generated suggestions that do not rely on user-specific information. The search bar retains its primary function, enabling users to search for chats, messages, media, and contacts within the app. Users can continue to search their conversations for specific content without engaging with Meta AI, preserving ease of use and privacy.
Moreover, personal messages and calls on WhatsApp remain end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that neither WhatsApp nor Meta can access them, even with the integration of Meta AI.
Meta’s expansion of AI initiatives follows the advancements made by prominent tech companies like OpenAI. After piloting its AI chatbot in markets such as the U.S., Meta is now extending testing to India, its largest market with over 500 million Facebook and WhatsApp users.
In addition, Meta has confirmed plans to release its next AI model, Llama 3, within the current month, indicating the company’s commitment to advancing AI technology and improving user experiences across its platforms.