WhatsApp has introduced a new AI-powered feature that will be especially helpful for users in the US. The latest update, called Message Summaries, aims to make managing unread messages more convenient, especially if you’re swamped with messages on a daily basis.
This new AI feature uses Meta’s technology to quickly summarize the unread messages in your chats, giving you a snapshot of what’s been going on before you dive into each conversation.
This feature could be a game changer for anyone who’s been offline for a while, say, during a flight or just when they’re overwhelmed with notifications. WhatsApp ensures that this feature prioritizes your privacy by using Meta’s Private Processing technology. This means that the AI summarizes your messages without WhatsApp or Meta having access to them. If you’re curious about the tech behind this, Meta has a detailed engineering post on their blog explaining how it works.
What’s more, this feature is entirely optional. By default, it’s turned off, and you can choose whether to activate it. You also have control over which chats the AI can summarize, thanks to the Advanced Chat Privacy settings. However, the feature is currently only available in the US and in English, with plans to expand to other languages and countries later in the year, though no specific dates have been provided yet.
While AI continues to be a divisive topic, there’s no doubt that Message Summaries could be a useful tool for those who rely heavily on WhatsApp. Whether or not it will become a staple feature, only time will tell, but for now, it’s an exciting step forward. Of course, privacy concerns will always linger, no matter what assurances are made.