WhatsApp, the popular private messaging app owned by Meta, announced plans to integrate new artificial intelligence features, including AI-powered writing suggestions and message summaries, into its platform.

The move comes despite growing user dissatisfaction with the company’s existing AI initiatives.

The app recently added a Meta AI chatbot, accessible via a glowing blue ring button, which provides answers to user queries in English, similar to ChatGPT, and offers AI-driven search suggestions.

However, the feature has sparked significant criticism, with users on platforms like Reddit expressing frustration, calling it “bug-ridden rubbish” and demanding options to disable it.

A WhatsApp spokesperson recently clarified that its AI features are completely optional, allowing users to choose whether or not to use them.

“We think giving people these options is a good thing, and we’re always listening to feedback from our users to make WhatsApp better,” the spokesperson added.

Cybersecurity experts have raised concerns that WhatsApp’s introduction of more AI tools could signal a potential compromise on user privacy. To process AI requests, some message data must be handled on external servers rather than solely on the user’s device.

However, Meta stated that its system is designed to prevent any third party from accessing the content of users’ messages.

Meta said, “No one except you and the people you’re talking to can access or share your personal messages, not even Meta or WhatsApp.”

The new feature was unveiled at LlamaCon 2025, held at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters.

Alongside the announcement, Meta—owner of Facebook and Instagram—introduced a standalone app for its Meta AI chatbot.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted that nearly one billion people are now using the company’s AI products.