Chat applications are gradually becoming the gateway through which the user poses his question, as artificial intelligence appears within the conversation, whether as a built-in assistant or a "bot" that is called upon when needed, without leaving the application to ask a question, summarize a discussion, draft a message, or perform a task.
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This shift changes the nature of competition, but it opens up a more sensitive problem, as the more the assistant depends on the context of the conversation and the powers granted to it, the more important it becomes to define the data it processes and the limits of what it can do.
Meta is pushing for a unified assistant across WhatsApp , Facebook , Instagram and Messenger, as well as the web and standalone app, where "Meta AI" can answer questions, search the web, create images, and provide assistance with shopping, programming and everyday tasks.
The assistant adapts to the nature of each platform. On WhatsApp, it can be chatted with or summoned within groups to request recommendations or explain messages. On Instagram, it is linked to messages, search, and visual content. On Messenger, it works within conversations, while on Facebook, it helps in searching for posts and communities.
On April 8, Meta unveiled the "Muse Spark," its new closed-loop model that it said powers the assistant after rebuilding and integrating it.
While on April 29, 2025, it announced an optional feature called "Private Processing" to handle specific tasks, including summarizing WhatsApp messages and writing suggestions within a private environment where Meta does not see their content.
The company also announced on May 13 the hidden chat feature for Meta AI conversations - via WhatsApp and in its standalone application - which relies on "special processing" and explained that messages are not stored after exiting the session.
Meta sees this expansion as a way to keep users and business interactions within its platforms, as it said that more than one million businesses use its business agents weekly via WhatsApp and Messenger to communicate with customers and complete sales, which reinforces the role of its chat applications as channels for sales, not just for messaging.
The platform includes millions of bots, and some bots and integrations may allow answering questions, verifying information, creating texts and images, performing tasks, automating the inbox, and linking some tools to accounts according to specific permissions.
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