WhatsApp AI Chats Shortcut Arrives for Beta Testers Alongside Status Filters

WhatsApp is enhancing the user experience of its upcoming AI chats feature by introducing a visual change. In the recent beta version of WhatsApp for Android, users can now access AI chats directly from the main chat list using a new shortcut. This shortcut appears as a white button with a multicolored ring above the new chat button. This visual update is designed to make it easier for users to initiate and engage with AI chats.

Much like text-to-image generators like MidJourney and Bing Image Creator, Meta AI's new AI assistant can also produce realistic-looking images from scratch using a simple "/imagine" command. The feature is currently available for free.

This feature is powered by Meta AI's latest advancements in large language model research. The model is capable of understanding complex text prompts and translating them into realistic, high-quality images.

In addition to the AI chat shortcut, WhatsApp is also testing a new section for status updates. This section enables users to view and filter a list of status updates, allowing them to organise and manage their status updates more efficiently.

These changes are currently available to select beta testers on Android and are expected to be rolled out to all users in the future.

In September, Meta announced that it would be introducing AI assistants to its messaging apps WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. These chatbots are powered by Meta's large language model, Llama 2, and will be able to answer user queries, search the web using Bing, and generate images based on text prompts. Additionally, Meta will be introducing AI avatars with a variety of personalities.

While it may take some time for Meta to roll out AI chats to users in other regions, the new button will make it easier for users to discover the feature on their own, as opposed to the additional steps required to start a new AI conversation using the new chat button.

WABetaInfo has also discovered a new filtered vertical list on WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.25.3, which allows users to view all available statuses, including channels, via a vertical list. The list of status updates is similar to Instagram stories, which are also available on WhatsApp.