Meta has introduced new AI-powered functionalities for WhatsApp Business, aiming to enhance how businesses interact with customers through automated tools. Announced by Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Conversations in Brazil, these features are designed to streamline customer communications and facilitate commerce directly through WhatsApp.
The newly unveiled tools include AI capabilities for creating click-to-WhatsApp ads that allow customers to start chats with businesses directly from Facebook and Instagram advertisements. From answering customer questions, to discussing products and finalizing a purchase, messaging helps businesses get business done.
Key Features
- AI Tools to Help Businesses Better Assist Customers
- Meta Verified Comes to WhatsApp
- Calling for Larger Businesses
Additionally, the platform will support automated responses to common customer inquiries regarding product catalogs and other frequent questions. This AI-powered customer support is currently being piloted with selected merchants in India and Singapore, with plans to extend to Brazil shortly.
Meta is enhancing its Ads Manager to recommend targeted audiences for business messages, moving beyond basic updates to include promotional messaging that could appeal to a broader customer base. This aims to make business communications on WhatsApp more effective by reaching the right people with relevant offers and information.
A key aspect of these AI tools is transparency; AI-generated messages will be clearly marked to inform customers when they are not interacting with a human representative. This feature ensures clarity and maintains trust between businesses and their customers.
You will also see the same Meta Verified badge for these businesses on their WhatsApp Channel and custom WhatsApp page.
Leveraging partnerships
While third-party WhatsApp API partners like RelianceJio’s Inerakt and others offer similar services, Meta’s new tools are provided for free directly within the WhatsApp Business platform. This strategy could attract more businesses to rely on WhatsApp’s native features without needing additional third-party CRM solutions.
According to a joint study by Meta and Bain & Co., there is significant potential to expand conversational commerce in markets like India through these generative AI tools, making interactions more dynamic and accessible. By implementing these AI solutions, Meta aims to increase engagement on the WhatsApp Business platform, thereby boosting potential revenue streams from increased business-customer interactions.
These developments reflect Meta’s broader strategy to integrate more deeply with the commercial sector and enhance the utility of its platforms through advanced AI technologies.