WhatsApp has started testing the facility to connect third-party AI agents and other automated services to its app. The feature is currently available to limited users and is being rolled out in a phased manner.
Under the new facility, users will be able to create separate chats for specific agents within WhatsApp. According to the company’s current system, a user can connect a maximum of five third-party agents at a time.
To add an agent, the user can set its name and profile picture. WhatsApp provides an API Key for this, which is used on the relevant third-party service platform. After this, the user can chat with the agent without leaving WhatsApp.
This facility is not limited to artificial intelligence. According to WhatsApp, a third-party agent can be an AI service, bot, or other automated system. Such agents are developed and run by independent developers or companies, while WhatsApp allows them to be integrated into its platform.
Regarding privacy, WhatsApp has clarified that the integrated agent does not automatically have access to all of a user’s chats. The agent can only read information that the user shares with it directly. It is not given access to other personal chats, contacts, or media on the phone.
However, there is one important difference between this feature and regular WhatsApp chats. Conversations with third-party agents are not end-to-end encrypted. According to WhatsApp’s terms, the agent provider can receive, process, and store the user’s messages. Therefore, such chats will not have the same privacy protections as regular personal WhatsApp conversations.
According to WhatsApp, third-party agents are independent services and are operated by the respective developer or company. The company has made it clear that it is not responsible for the content, responses, or data handling of these agents. Users are advised to review the terms and privacy policy of the respective agent.
This feature is not yet fully released to general users. On September 22, 2026, WhatsApp also began testing it for limited beta users of iPhones. On iOS, this feature is available to a limited number of users in select countries through beta version 26.37.10.70. WhatsApp has not yet announced a final date for wider availability.
The new feature may expand the scope of using external automated and AI services in WhatsApp, but the privacy aspect will remain important for users. It will be important to understand the data policy of the relevant service before sharing particularly sensitive or personal information with third-party agents.
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