WhatsApp has launched a new feature called ‘Writing Help’, allowing users to edit, reword, or adjust the tone of their messages before sending them. The tool is designed to function as an in-app alternative to external AI services such as ChatGPT. Meta confirmed the release on Wednesday.
The feature provides AI-generated suggestions to change how a message is phrased. It can be used to make a message sound professional, humorous, encouraging, or different. In a demonstration, the phrase "Please don't leave dirty socks on the sofa" was altered to alternatives like "Hey, sock ninja, the laundry basket is that way" and "Please don't make the sofa a sock graveyard."
A pencil icon now appears while composing a message, which users can tap to access Writing Help. The feature is currently available in English only and is being introduced in selected regions.
According to WhatsApp, the feature is built with Meta’s Private Processing technology, which ensures that neither Meta nor WhatsApp can access the original message or the AI-generated alternatives. Messages continue to be protected by end-to-end encryption.
By incorporating this AI tool directly into the app, WhatsApp appears to be targeting users who might otherwise use separate platforms for writing assistance. However, the company acknowledged that "some people might want to have genuine discussions, especially when speaking with friends and family."
WhatsApp stated that user privacy remains a priority as it expands its AI-related tools.
