WhatsApp tests third-party AI agent chats for Android users in select regions

MUMBAI: WhatsApp is giving AI agents a new place to hang out. The messaging platform is testing a feature that allows users to connect third-party AI agents to their WhatsApp accounts and interact with them through dedicated chats, according to a report by WABetaInfo.

The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited number of Android users in select regions and has reportedly been spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.35.3.

The new functionality is available through an Agents section in WhatsApp settings. Users can add an external agent by entering its name and profile information. WhatsApp currently allows up to five third-party agents to be connected to an account.

Once an agent is added, WhatsApp generates an API key that users need to enter on the platform hosting the agent to complete the connection. The connected agent then appears as a separate chat, allowing users to interact with it much like they would with an individual contact.

This means users could access AI-powered services directly from WhatsApp instead of switching to a separate app, website or browser extension.

AI agents are software tools that can understand natural-language instructions and respond to users. Unlike conventional chatbots that generally rely on predefined responses, AI agents can handle more complex requests and, in some cases, perform tasks on a user’s behalf.

Developers can build these agents using tools and application programming interfaces provided by AI companies such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic.

The term, however, is not limited to generative AI. It can also describe automated bots designed to perform specific tasks or respond to predefined commands.

WhatsApp’s proposed feature appears to accommodate both types. According to WABetaInfo, developers can connect conversational AI agents as well as bots built for specific tasks.

The convenience comes with an important privacy distinction.

Messages exchanged with third-party AI agents are not protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption, as these conversations are processed through a Meta service on behalf of the third-party agent developer.

WhatsApp has nevertheless placed limits on what these agents can access. A connected agent is restricted to the individual conversation in which it is being used and cannot access a user’s other WhatsApp chats.

It also cannot access the user’s contacts or media stored in other conversations. Third-party agents cannot currently be added to WhatsApp groups or communities.

The restrictions keep external agents separate from the wider WhatsApp account, with each one operating within its own dedicated conversation.

For WhatsApp, the experiment points to a broader shift in how users could interact with AI. Rather than requiring people to seek out a standalone AI service, the messaging platform could become a common front door for a range of specialised digital assistants.

The feature remains limited to selected Android users for now, and WhatsApp has not indicated when, or if, the functionality will be made widely available.