WhatsApp is now rolling out a new AI feature that can summaries unread messages in chats and groups – a tool designed to help users catch up quickly without having to scroll through long threads. As per WBI, the feature, which uses Meta’s artificial intelligence models, is currently being tested with a limited number of beta users on Android.
A new setting called Private Processing has quietly appeared in version 2.25.18.18 of WhatsApp beta. Once switched on, it adds a “summaries messages” button that shows up when a user has several unread messages in a chat. Tapping this button prompts a short overview of the conversation, automatically generated by Meta’s AI.
WhatsApp says the feature is built with privacy in mind. According to the company, summaries are processed entirely within a protected system. Message data, it insists, never leaves the user’s device, and neither Meta nor WhatsApp staff can see, store or access any part of the content.
The technology behind it – known as Private Processing – is described as a secure layer that anonymizes user requests. WhatsApp claims even the request for a summary is routed privately, encrypted, and can’t be traced back to an individual.
Summaries are available for both one-on-one chats and group conversations, making it easier to stay on top of busy threads without reading every message. However, the feature won’t appear in chats where users have enabled Advanced Chat Privacy – not because it’s insecure, WhatsApp says, but to respect those who have opted out of any AI-powered features.
For now, the feature is optional. Those who want to avoid it can simply ignore the unread message prompt or turn it off entirely in settings. WhatsApp also appears to be working on a second tool under the same Private Processing system – called Writing Help – which could allow users to polish their messages before sending them. This, too, would run locally on the device, according to the company.
But the move raises fresh questions about Meta’s track record. While the company talks up privacy, critics point to years of broken promises and data misuse. Meta, which owns WhatsApp, has faced repeated scrutiny over how it collects and uses personal information. From the Cambridge Analytica scandal to silent updates in its data-sharing policies, the tech giant has often blurred the line between convenience and surveillance.
Even now, there’s no easy way to verify whether so-called private processing truly stays private – especially when the same company is also aggressively developing AI models that rely on vast amounts of user data. Despite WhatsApp’s assurances, skepticism remains: can a company known for bending privacy rules be trusted to police itself?
Image: WBI
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A new setting called Private Processing has quietly appeared in version 2.25.18.18 of WhatsApp beta. Once switched on, it adds a “summaries messages” button that shows up when a user has several unread messages in a chat. Tapping this button prompts a short overview of the conversation, automatically generated by Meta’s AI.
WhatsApp says the feature is built with privacy in mind. According to the company, summaries are processed entirely within a protected system. Message data, it insists, never leaves the user’s device, and neither Meta nor WhatsApp staff can see, store or access any part of the content.
The technology behind it – known as Private Processing – is described as a secure layer that anonymizes user requests. WhatsApp claims even the request for a summary is routed privately, encrypted, and can’t be traced back to an individual.
Summaries are available for both one-on-one chats and group conversations, making it easier to stay on top of busy threads without reading every message. However, the feature won’t appear in chats where users have enabled Advanced Chat Privacy – not because it’s insecure, WhatsApp says, but to respect those who have opted out of any AI-powered features.
For now, the feature is optional. Those who want to avoid it can simply ignore the unread message prompt or turn it off entirely in settings. WhatsApp also appears to be working on a second tool under the same Private Processing system – called Writing Help – which could allow users to polish their messages before sending them. This, too, would run locally on the device, according to the company.
But the move raises fresh questions about Meta’s track record. While the company talks up privacy, critics point to years of broken promises and data misuse. Meta, which owns WhatsApp, has faced repeated scrutiny over how it collects and uses personal information. From the Cambridge Analytica scandal to silent updates in its data-sharing policies, the tech giant has often blurred the line between convenience and surveillance.
Even now, there’s no easy way to verify whether so-called private processing truly stays private – especially when the same company is also aggressively developing AI models that rely on vast amounts of user data. Despite WhatsApp’s assurances, skepticism remains: can a company known for bending privacy rules be trusted to police itself?
Read next: Apple Didn’t Say Much About It, But iOS 26 Just Changed How You’ll Understand Your Battery
