Meta has recently expanded the reach of its Meta AI, now introducing it into new markets, prompting the appearance of a light-blue circle in WhatsApp chats. Originally rolled out in the US and Canada in 2023, the AI feature is now available in Europe, including the UK, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India.
The AI-based chatbot is being integrated throughout the Meta ecosystem, including platforms such as Messenger and Instagram. It provides users with basic capabilities like answering questions, generating text, and creating content. However, its introduction has sparked privacy concerns among users, with inquiries regarding the possibility of disabling it. This article highlights important details about the new feature.
On WhatsApp, the Meta AI button is located above the new chat icon on Android and at the bottom-right corner on iOS. This button enables users to engage directly with the Meta AI assistant. Additionally, users can tag @Meta AI in their chats to ask questions, and it is listed among their personal contacts.
The chatbot utilizes Meta’s open-source language model Llama 3.2. Similar to the initial introduction of ChatGPT, Meta AI is starting with a limited number of features focused on user demands, such as text generation and web search capabilities, with more features expected in the future.
Regarding data handling, Meta assures users that its assistant does not read message contents unless asked for assistance. Even then, messages remain end-to-end encrypted, and any information obtained is not linked with other Meta accounts, such as Facebook or Instagram. It is crucial to understand that while private message content is encrypted, interactions with Meta AI are not. As per Meta’s guidance, users are advised against sending sensitive information to the AI, as it may be used to improve AI models. Interactions with Meta AI are designed to be visually distinct for easy identification by users.
If users are uninterested in the Meta AI feature, there is currently no option to disable or delete it from WhatsApp. While users can choose to disregard it, the button will remain in the app. Those who have interacted with it but wish to undo their usage can reset Meta AI at an individual chat level or across the platform, although deleting a chat with Meta AI will not suffice; specific reset commands must be utilized.