Meta introduces AI features and Voice Support to WhatsApp Business
The updates are expected to make WhatsApp a full-blown business app.
WhatsApp is quickly becoming a central hub for businesses to connect with customers. But Meta wants to take it up a notch.
At Meta’s recent Conversations conference in Miami, the company announced major upgrades to the WhatsApp Business platform that bring in AI, voice, and marketing tools into one ecosystem. These updates are designed to make WhatsApp a full-blown business suite by giving businesses new ways to reach customers, sell smarter, and have real-time communication.
One notable feature being introduced is voice calling for large businesses. Now, voice chats have long been available for small business accounts, but it’s the first-time enterprise-level businesses on WhatsApp Business are getting it.
In the coming weeks, businesses of all sizes will be able to receive calls directly from customers or place calls back after a request, which wasn’t possible earlier. This brings a layer of personal support, especially for situations where a quick call is better than a long message thread. Whether it’s a product inquiry, an urgent update, or even a consultation, voice calls are now available. Meta is also saying that video calling, and voice messaging will soon be available.
But it doesn’t end there. Meta is also now leaning hard into AI to make WhatsApp more helpful for businesses. For example, features that could deliver personalized product recommendations, complete purchases, and follow up with users directly through chat, may be all in the offing.
With this in place, you can scroll through a store’s catalog, asking about size options, getting recommendations based on previous purchases, and then confirming your delivery details. The feature is already being expanded for testing to more businesses in Mexico.
Another feature being explored could see an integration with third-party AI voice agents like ElevenLabs and Vapi, which could give WhatsApp an autonomous AI-powered customer service.
Kelechi Edeh
On the marketing side, Meta is consolidating campaign management across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram into a single workflow through Ads Manager. Businesses can use one setup flow, one budget, and let Meta’s AI optimize placements for better performance.
Businesses can upload their subscriber list and send out messages across all three platforms from one central place. Soon, they’ll even be able to create ads for WhatsApp Status directly through Ads Manager.
With over 200 million monthly active users on WhatsApp Business, these features are a bigger strategy for transforming WhatsApp into a multifunctional business command center.
