Meta Platforms is shaking things up with WhatsApp, its most-used messaging app. At a recent Brazilian conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of AI-driven ad targeting tools for businesses on the platform.
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This move marks a significant shift for WhatsApp, known for its focus on privacy and its lack of the targeted advertising prevalent on Facebook and Instagram (also owned by Meta).
Despite boasting the most daily users across all Meta platforms, WhatsApp has yet to significantly contribute to the company’s revenue stream. This initiative seems to be a direct attempt to change that.
Previously, businesses could only send generic marketing blasts to users who opted-in for communication. The new AI tools leverage user behaviour across Facebook and Instagram (assuming users have the same phone number linked) to deliver targeted advertisements within WhatsApp chats. While this allows businesses to optimize ad delivery, it also raises privacy concerns. Critics argue it contradicts WhatsApp’s long-held emphasis on user privacy.
Meta isn’t stopping at targeted ads. They’re also introducing a new AI chatbot to handle common business inquiries directly within chats. This aligns with Zuckerberg’s vision of businesses adopting automated communication tools. Similar to existing AI-powered customer service platforms, the chatbot will assist users with finding catalogues or business hours.
Further blurring the lines between competitor and collaborator, Meta announced the integration of Brazil’s Pix digital payment service into its WhatsApp payment tool. This follows a similar move in India where WhatsApp partnered with rival payment providers last year. Pix, designed by Brazil’s central bank, has become a major player, processing nearly 40% of the country’s transactions in 2023. This integration offers users a wider range of payment options within WhatsApp.
While these changes may boost Meta’s profits, they also raise questions about the future of WhatsApp and its commitment to user privacy. Only time will tell how users react to these new features and whether they will compromise the user experience that made WhatsApp so popular in the first place.
