WhatsApp Business is getting multiple new features, including a major artificial intelligence (AI) update 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 launched the Meta Verified badge for these users. India is one of the first markets to get these features. Additionally, the company is also testing a calling functionality for business accounts.
WhatsApp Business gets an AI assistant
In the previous months, Meta has launched chatbots powered by its Llama-3 AI model on WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger in various markets. The Meta AI chatbot includes all the general text-based capabilities of a great language model. In addition, it can also generate images. Now, the company is rolling out a similar AI assistant for WhatsApp Business users.
In a press release, Meta said: “We're training AI to answer the most popular questions businesses get on WhatsApp, so they can quickly help customers find the answers they're looking for.” It looks like the feature will not only send pre-written responses but will intelligently provide support based on customer needs and requirements. It can also be used to market products and services to those who may be interested. The company aims to innovate communication automation with AI technology to make businesses trust them more.
This feature is currently in testing, but will roll out to India and Singapore, followed by Brazil in the coming days. It is not known whether it will be launched in a limited capacity or for all WhatsApp Business users in the country.
After rolling out on Facebook and Instagram, Meta Verified badges are now rolling out to WhatsApp Business accounts as well. These badges will appear as a white check mark inside a circle of green stars next to the company name. The badge will indicate businesses that have registered their information with Meta and receive advanced business account support. The Meta Verified badge will appear on your WhatsApp channel and on your custom WhatsApp for Business page. 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 companies over WhatsApp. Meta says this will allow companies to quickly resolve their issues and get help for complicated requests. The social media giant did not specify a timeline for the rollout of this feature.
