WhatsApp is getting ready to introduce a new feature that will let people build their own AI chatbots directly inside the app, without needing to write any code, as first spotted by WBI. This move follows similar efforts from other tech companies, like OpenAI with its custom GPTs and Google with its Gemini Gems. The idea is to make it easier for everyday users to create assistants or characters they can talk to, all through a few guided steps within WhatsApp itself.
The tool is part of Meta’s wider AI Studio platform, which until now has mainly been used through the web or on apps like Messenger and Instagram. With this update, WhatsApp will gain similar capabilities, allowing people to build and personalise their own AI experiences without leaving the messaging app. A small number of beta testers using Android and iOS have already started to see a new section called “AI Studio,” where the feature is being tested quietly ahead of a wider rollout.
Instead of overwhelming users with technical terms, the chatbot creation process is designed to be simple and intuitive. It begins by asking the user to pick a role for their AI—whether it’s a helpful tutor, a travel planner, or even a virtual companion for motivation. After choosing the type of assistant they want, users then select a personality style, ranging from calm and thoughtful to lively and humorous or even formal and informative. Based on those choices, WhatsApp then provides intelligent suggestions to help fine-tune the assistant’s tone and behaviour during conversations.
While each AI chatbot will start out as private, WhatsApp will also give users the option to share them with others using a unique link. This approach is similar to what platforms like OpenAI and Google have already done, where users can browse and interact with bots created by others. Although features like the GPT Store haven’t become hugely popular, they still offer useful inspiration for building creative assistants, and Meta could be hoping to take a simpler and more user-friendly approach through WhatsApp.
At this stage, the feature is still in development and not available to most users, but signs of its arrival have already appeared in recent beta versions of the app. This adds to a busy period for WhatsApp, which has just launched an official app for iPad and started testing usernames, pointing to a broader push to expand what the platform can offer beyond traditional messaging.
Read next: Breaking Down Billion-Dollar Revenues: How Much Top Tech Companies Earn Per Employee
The tool is part of Meta’s wider AI Studio platform, which until now has mainly been used through the web or on apps like Messenger and Instagram. With this update, WhatsApp will gain similar capabilities, allowing people to build and personalise their own AI experiences without leaving the messaging app. A small number of beta testers using Android and iOS have already started to see a new section called “AI Studio,” where the feature is being tested quietly ahead of a wider rollout.
Instead of overwhelming users with technical terms, the chatbot creation process is designed to be simple and intuitive. It begins by asking the user to pick a role for their AI—whether it’s a helpful tutor, a travel planner, or even a virtual companion for motivation. After choosing the type of assistant they want, users then select a personality style, ranging from calm and thoughtful to lively and humorous or even formal and informative. Based on those choices, WhatsApp then provides intelligent suggestions to help fine-tune the assistant’s tone and behaviour during conversations.
While each AI chatbot will start out as private, WhatsApp will also give users the option to share them with others using a unique link. This approach is similar to what platforms like OpenAI and Google have already done, where users can browse and interact with bots created by others. Although features like the GPT Store haven’t become hugely popular, they still offer useful inspiration for building creative assistants, and Meta could be hoping to take a simpler and more user-friendly approach through WhatsApp.
At this stage, the feature is still in development and not available to most users, but signs of its arrival have already appeared in recent beta versions of the app. This adds to a busy period for WhatsApp, which has just launched an official app for iPad and started testing usernames, pointing to a broader push to expand what the platform can offer beyond traditional messaging.
Read next: Breaking Down Billion-Dollar Revenues: How Much Top Tech Companies Earn Per Employee
