Following much speculation, WhatsApp has reportedly begun testing a new feature that will allow users to privately summarise unread messages in both individual and group chats using Meta AI. According to Wabetainfo, the feature was discovered in the most recent WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.25.18.18. With this new feature, Meta’s instant messaging platform hopes to assist users in managing large volumes of messages while maintaining privacy.
The report confirmed that the feature is powered by Meta AI and is built on a privacy preserving system system called Private Processing. This will enable summaries to be generated securely, ensuring that no message data leaves the users device or stored externally, making it safe.
According to the report, a new XX unread messages button appears once a certain number of incoming messages is reached. Tapping this generates a private summary of the conversation, which is processed locally using end-to-end encrypted routing and anonymised request handling.
Customers can manually enable or disable the feature in the application’s settings, under the Private Processing section. The feature is disabled by default in conversations with WhatsApp’s “Advanced Chat Privacy” setting enabled, out of respect for users who have opted out of AI-based enhancements, despite the fact that the processing method itself maintains strict data confidentiality.
Since the summary feature is the first to be reportedly rolled out with Private Processing, it appears that WhatsApp may also introduce some additional tools. It may also have a Writing Help feature. This means that WhatsApp users may receive AI-generated suggestions for improving message tone or clarity while operating in the same secure environment.
Please keep in mind that the feature is still being tested and is only available to a small group of beta testers. The report stated that users can expect a wider rollout in the coming weeks.