WhatsApp Business is rolling out AI chatbot and Meta Verified badge, India one of the first markets to get it

New Delhi NEW DELHI : WhatsApp Business is getting several new features, including a major artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade that will help business owners intelligently automate some of their communications on the platform. The social media giant announced a new AI-powered chatbot for WhatsApp Business during an event in Sao Paulo. It has also rolled out a Meta Verified badge for these users. India is one of the first markets to get these features. Additionally, the company is also testing call functionality for business accounts.

WhatsApp Business gets an AI assistant

Over the past months, Meta has rolled out chatbots powered by its Llama-3 AI model for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger in multiple markets. The Meta AI chatbot comes with all the usual text-based capabilities of a large language model. Additionally, it can also draw pictures. Now, the company is rolling out a similar AI assistant for WhatsApp Business users.

In a newsroom post, Meta said, “We are training AI to answer the most popular questions received by businesses on WhatsApp, so they can help customers find the answers they seek faster.” It appears that this feature will not only send pre-written answers but also intelligently provide support based on the customer’s needs and requirements. It can also be used to sell products and services to people who are interested in them. The company aims to innovate communication automation with AI technology, so that businesses can rely more on them.

The feature is currently under testing, but it will be rolled out in India and Singapore, followed by Brazil in the coming days. It is not known if it will be rolled out in a limited capacity or to all WhatsApp Business users in the country.

WhatsApp Business accounts get Meta Verified badge

After rolling out to Facebook and Instagram, the Meta Verified badge is now being rolled out to WhatsApp Business accounts as well. These badges will appear as a white checkmark within a green starburst circle next to the business name. The badge will signify businesses that have registered their information with Meta and receive advanced account support from the company. The Meta Verified badge will appear on WhatsApp channels and custom WhatsApp pages for businesses. Meta Verified badges have started rolling out in India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Colombia.

Apart from these, the social media giant is also testing calling functionality for WhatsApp Business account holders. This will allow customers to call large businesses on WhatsApp. Meta says this will allow businesses to resolve their issues quickly and get help for complex requests. The social media giant did not give any timeline for the launch of this feature.