WhatsApp Starts Rolling Out Third-Party AI Agent Chats. Here's How It Works

WhatsApp has started rolling out support for third-party artificial intelligence agents, allowing users to connect external AI services and chat with them directly within the messaging app. The company has published dedicated Terms of Service for Use of Third Party Agents for the feature. The terms, last updated on August 25, state that third-party agents are built, owned and operated by independent companies or developers, rather than WhatsApp. WhatsApp provides the platform that allows these agents to communicate with users through the messaging service.

WhatsApp currently allows users to connect up to five third-party agents at a time. The company says users must disconnect an existing agent before adding another once the five-agent limit has been reached. WhatsApp also says it may change this limit in the future.

The WhatsApp Help Centre separately confirms that users can chat with third-party agents through the app, including agents created by users themselves using tools and code developed by third-party developers. It says third-party agents can access only the information users share with them.

How WhatsApp's Third-Party AI Agents Work

The feature was spotted by WhatsApp tracker WABetaInfo in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.35.3. According to the report, users can add and configure an agent through WhatsApp settings and then communicate with it through a dedicated chat.

WABetaInfo said the feature is currently available to a limited number of users in select countries and is being gradually rolled out to more accounts. WhatsApp has not announced a date for a wider rollout.

The report also said users can give an agent a name and profile photo, while WhatsApp generates an API key that is used to connect the agent to the chat. The agent can then be accessed through a dedicated conversation.

WhatsApp's documentation covers both AI agents and other automated services, meaning the feature is not limited to generative AI assistants.

Third-Party AI Chats Are Not End-to-End Encrypted

There is an important privacy difference between regular WhatsApp conversations and chats with third-party agents.

WhatsApp says personal messages and calls remain protected by end-to-end encryption. However, conversations with third-party agents are not considered end-to-end encrypted because they are managed through a Meta service on behalf of the agent developer.

According to WhatsApp's terms, the provider operating the third-party agent receives, processes and stores messages in unencrypted form, subject to its own data-handling practices.

WhatsApp also makes clear that third-party agents are independent services. It does not own, build, operate, control, verify or endorse them. Users are therefore advised to review the terms and privacy policy of the individual agent provider before interacting with an agent.

WhatsApp's Growing AI Push

The third-party agent rollout comes as Meta expands its use of AI across WhatsApp.

In June, Meta announced Meta Business Agent, an AI tool designed to help businesses handle customer conversations on WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. Meta said businesses can use the system to answer questions, recommend products, book appointments, qualify leads and assist with sales.

Meta has also introduced Business AI for eligible small businesses in India through the WhatsApp Business app. The tool can help businesses answer customer queries, recommend products, capture leads, book appointments and support sales.

For individual users, however, the third-party agent feature represents a separate development. It could eventually allow WhatsApp users to access a wider range of AI-powered services without switching between different apps and websites.

For now, WhatsApp's own terms and Help Centre confirm that third-party agents are supported, while the latest beta rollout reported by WABetaInfo suggests the feature is gradually becoming available to more users. The availability of individual agents will depend on the providers involved, WhatsApp's policies and the rollout in each market.