You don’t need friends anymore if it’s up to WhatsApp. You just chat with AI chatbots that you can easily design yourself.
WhatsApp is the app to stay in touch with friends and family. But according to parent company Meta, the popular app can now also serve as a platform to chat with AI characters.
In the United States, you can already talk to various AI bots via WhatsApp. However, Meta is taking it a step further: users will soon have the ability to create their own chatbot, or virtual friend.
WhatsApp lets you chat with your self-made friend
Think you need technical knowledge to create your own chatbot? You don’t. The process is surprisingly simple: in just 1,000 characters, you can describe your chatbot’s personality.
You decide what your chatbot is like. State what his strengths are, outline his personality and describe his life experience. WhatsApp offers some suggested descriptions to get you started. You can also refresh these suggestions, but the most fun, of course, is to create a chatbot all by yourself. Perhaps you need a digital relationship therapist or a virtual friend who always offers a listening ear.
Create your own AI chatbot. (Image: WABetaInfo)
For now, this DIY feature is only available in the beta version of WhatsApp. It is version 2.25.1.26 for Android, and only outside the European Union.
Why it won’t help you for now
Although AI chatbots are not entirely new to WhatsApp, they are probably unknown to European users. Meta has chosen not to offer this functionality in the European Union (yet) because of the strict rules around the DMA (Digital Markets Act) and privacy protection.
Still, it is interesting to see what Meta is developing. If you set your device and App Store or Google Play location to the United States, you may already be able to test the feature. If and when this feature will come to Europe is unclear at this time.
