WhatsApp Tests AI-Powered Message Summaries

WhatsApp has begun testing a new feature that uses Meta AI to generate chat summaries, helping users quickly catch up on unread messages.

Available in beta version 2.25.18.18 for Android, the feature works for both individual and group chats and emphasises user privacy through a system called Private Processing.

This system ensures that data is processed locally on the device without being sent to Meta or WhatsApp servers.

When enabled, a dedicated button appears once a conversation has enough unread messages. Tapping it triggers a local AI summary without storing user data or linking it back to identities.

Like Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, Private Processing keeps interactions anonymous.

The feature is optional, allowing users to opt out if desired.

Meta AI is also expanding across Instagram and Messenger, introducing tools like Writing Help, which rephrases messages based on tone—part of Meta’s broader push to embed AI into everyday messaging.

Last month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Meta’s AI assistant has reached a major milestone, now serving 1 billion monthly active users across platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger.

In comparison, Google’s Gemini AI app has 400 million monthly users, while OpenAI’s ChatGPT now has 500 million weekly active users, highlighting intense competition in the AI assistant space.

At Llama Con, Meta (previously Facebook) has introduced a standalone AI app. Previously, the company integrated Meta AI into WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger.

Powered by Llama 4, the new app offers users direct access to Meta AI, functioning much like the ChatGPT app and other AI assistant platforms.