WhatsApp introduces third-party AI agents for iPhone users

WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new feature for iPhone users that allows direct interaction with third-party AI agents and bots within the app. Following a similar rollout on Android, this update enables users to connect up to five agents to a single account via the app settings.

To integrate an agent, users can assign it a specific name and profile picture, after which WhatsApp provides an API key. This key must be shared with the third-party service hosting the agent to establish the connection. Once connected, the agent appears in the chat list like a standard contact and can assist with tasks such as drafting messages or taking notes.

Regarding privacy, the agents can only access messages specifically shared with them and do not have free access to a user’s general personal chats, contacts, or media. However, unlike standard WhatsApp communications, chats with these third-party agents are not end-to-end encrypted. Instead, Meta uses a secure service to transmit these messages to the agent developer's system.