WhatsApp for Android is working on an artificial intelligence (AI) feature that will let users create personalised AI characters within the app, as per a claim by a feature tracker. The new feature is said to be similar to the AI character creation feature available on Instagram and Messenger. The feature tracker claimed that users will be able to describe the personality traits and focus area of the chatbot with a text prompt, and the AI can generate a profile picture and bio. Additionally, the app is also said to be developing a dedicated tab to show the AI characters.
WhatsApp for Android Could Introduce AI Characters
As per the feature tracker WABetaInfo, the AI character creation feature was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.1.26 update. Since the feature is under development, it is currently not available to beta testers. Additionally, the feature tracker also spotted a separate tab for AI characters in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.1.24 update. This is also not a visible feature currently.
WhatsApp's AI characters feature
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo
Based on screenshots shared by the feature tracker, the AI character creation feature appears to be similar to the one present in other Meta-owned apps. The feature likely uses AI Studio to let users create new AI characters either from scratch or based on an existing template. In the screenshot shared, it appears that users could type up to 1,000 characters to describe their personalised chatbot's traits and focus area.
At the bottom of the screen, WhatsApp also added description suggestions to help users get inspiration or a starting point for the description. While only step one (of three) was visible in the screenshot, if the process is similar to AI Studio on Instagram or Messenger, the following steps would likely include image and bio generation and selecting the privacy details of the AI chatbot.
The other screenshot highlights that WhatsApp might also provide a dedicated space for these AI characters by creating a new tab. It appears this tab will show all the chatbots created by the user as well as all the other public AI characters. Notably, it is not clear whether the AI bots created on WhatsApp will also show up on the other Meta apps.
