It’s official: Meta AI is settling right into WhatsApp. We’ve seen its capabilities growing, and while some users haven’t exactly rolled out the red carpet for this AI, it’s quickly becoming a standard part of the messaging app. Now, Meta is taking things up a notch. WhatsApp is rolling out voice conversations with Meta AI, starting with iPhone users.
This new way to talk to Meta AI is currently in testing for iOS. It’s a big step because the AI feature will stay active even if you’re not directly using WhatsApp. This kind of always-on capability often makes people wonder about privacy and security. We’re all curious to see exactly how it works and what it might be listening to.
Talking to Your AI Assistant
This fresh feature is being tested as a voice chat with Meta AI inside WhatsApp. iPhone users should get their hands on it very soon. While Meta AI has been present on Android for a while, this specific voice interaction is expected to come to Android after its debut and refinement on iOS.
Starting a real-time voice chat with Meta AI is simple. Just tap the wave icon. You’ll find this icon in the chats or calls tab. This move puts Meta AI on the same playing field as other popular smart assistants. Many of those already let you talk to them using your voice.
Privacy and the Orange Dot
There’s an important detail for iPhone users. When a voice chat with Meta AI is active, your iPhone’s operating system shows a small orange dot. You’ll see it in the top right corner of your screen. This dot tells you that your microphone is in use. WhatsApp cannot turn this indicator off, which offers a clear level of transparency for users. It acts as a constant reminder.
The voice conversation can keep going even if you switch to a different app. This means Meta AI could still be listening even when WhatsApp isn’t open on your screen. You can manually mute your microphone, but the AI is technically still active. The orange dot will remain visible as long as the AI is in this listening mode.
While talking to AI through this new channel might be very convenient, it also raises questions. Some might see it as an extra layer of monitoring, especially if they don’t notice that orange dot. This voice chat feature isn’t available to everyone just yet. It should roll out to the stable version of WhatsApp in the coming weeks.
Source: WABetaInfo