Islamabad: WhatsApp has started introducing the facility to connect third-party AI agents and automated bots to its chat service. The new facility will allow users to communicate directly with external agents without leaving WhatsApp.
This feature is currently available on a limited scale. According to the latest information, it has also been tested for iPhone users; however, the facility is being provided to a limited number of users only in some countries. Its phased rollout is also underway on Android.
In the new system, the user can add third-party agents from WhatsApp settings. A name and profile picture can be selected for each agent. WhatsApp currently allows up to five agents to be associated with an account.
WhatsApp provides an API Key to associate an agent. The user uses this key on the platform where the respective agent is present. After this process, a separate chat is created for the agent in WhatsApp, and the user can give instructions to him through the same chat.
A key aspect of this facility is related to privacy. According to WhatsApp, the third-party agent does not have access to the user’s other personal chats, contacts or media. The agent can only see the information that the user himself shares with him.
However, there is an important difference regarding such chats. According to WhatsApp, conversations with third-party agents are not end-to-end encrypted like regular personal chats. The company providing the agent can receive, process and store these messages. Therefore, extra caution is necessary when sharing sensitive or private information in these chats.
WhatsApp has clarified that third-party agents are independent services. They are not developed or operated by WhatsApp itself. The agent provider is responsible for the agent’s responses, content, services, and data usage. Users are also advised to review the terms and privacy policy of an agent before engaging with it.
The new feature is a significant step towards WhatsApp being used for external AI and automated services, rather than being limited to traditional messaging platforms. However, the feature is still in the testing phase, and its availability is not uniform for all users.
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