WhatsApp Business is getting multiple new features, including a major artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade to help business owners intelligently automate some of their communication on the platform. The social media giant announced a new AI-powered chatbot for WhatsApp Business during an event in São Paulo. It has also rolled out the Meta Verified badge for these users. India is among the first markets to get these features. Additionally, the company is also testing a Call functionality for the business accounts.
WhatsApp Business gets an AI assistant
In the previous months, Meta has rolled out chatbots powered by its Llama-3 AI model to WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger in multiple markets. The Meta AI chatbot comes with all the general text-based capabilities of a large language model. Additionally, it can also generate images. Now, the company is rolling out a similar AI assistant for WhatsApp Business users.
In a newsroom post, Meta said, “We’re training AI to respond to the most popular questions businesses receive on WhatsApp, so they can quickly help customers find the answers they’re seeking.” It appears the feature will not just send out pre-written responses but intelligently offer assistance based on the needs and requirements of the customer. It can also be used to market products and services to those who might be interested in them. The company is aiming to innovate communication automation with AI technology to make businesses rely more on them.
This feature is currently under testing but will be rolled out in India and Singapore, followed by Brazil in the coming days. It is not known whether it will be rolled out in a limited capacity or to all WhatsApp Business users in the country.
After rolling it out to Facebook and Instagram, Meta Verified badges are now also being rolled out to WhatsApp Business accounts. These badges will appear as a white checkmark within a green starburst circle next to the name of the business. The badge will denote the businesses that have registered their information with Meta and receive advanced account support from the company. The Meta Verified badge will appear on the WhatsApp Channel and the custom WhatsApp page for the businesses. Meta Verified Badges have started rolling out in India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Colombia.
Apart from these, the social media giant is also testing a calling functionality for WhatsApp Business account holders. This will allow customers to call larger businesses on WhatsApp. Meta says this will enable businesses to quickly resolve their issues and get help for complicated requests. The social media giant did not specify a timeline for the launch of this feature.