WhatsApp Rolls Out AI Tools for Businesses to Streamline Operations

• WhatsApp introduces AI tools for businesses to enhance customer interactions and advertising on Meta-owned platforms.
• Meta Verified badges and one-tap calling features are among the updates aimed at improving user experience and business engagement on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has introduced artificial intelligence tools aimed at aiding businesses in utilizing the app for selling products and services. According to a blog post on Thursday (June 6), these tools, integrated into the Meta-owned messaging and VoIP app, empower businesses to utilize AI for addressing commonly asked questions from shoppers, creating ads for Meta-owned platforms like Instagram or Facebook, and engaging with customers to remind them about abandoned items in their carts or offer discounts on potential purchases.

In the post, WhatsApp stated, “We believe AI tools can help businesses get people the help they are looking for and find new products and services as well.”

Additionally, WhatsApp is rolling out Meta Verified on its WhatsApp Business app in Brazil, Colombia, India, and Indonesia. This initiative provides businesses that register with Meta Verified badges, impersonation protection, enhanced account support, and the ability to use WhatsApp across multiple devices for their employees.

“We look forward to expanding this important service to more businesses and countries soon,” WhatsApp mentioned in the post.

Another new feature introduced by WhatsApp on Thursday is a one-tap calling option for consumers to connect with larger businesses on the platform. This functionality aims to streamline the process of switching from text conversations to voice calls, especially for complex queries.

“We just started testing this feature and will expand it to more businesses in the coming months,” WhatsApp stated in the post.

Meta has been implementing AI across its platforms and plans to continue doing so. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, highlighted during the company’s quarterly earnings call on April 24, the launch of a Meta AI assistant that is free and accessible on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

“We’re building a number of different AI services, from our AI assistant to augmented reality apps and glasses, to APIs that help creators engage their communities and that fans can interact with, to business APIs that we think every business eventually on our platform will use,” Zuckerberg elaborated.