WhatsApp has launched a new AI feature that allows users to rephrase, proofread, or adjust the tone of their messages. The Meta-owned company announced the tool, called Writing Help, on Wednesday.
The new feature uses Meta’s Private Processing technology, which enables users to receive AI-generated suggestions without Meta or WhatsApp reading the original message or the proposed rewrites. This ensures that messages remain private even when using the AI tool.
With Writing Help, users can get AI-generated suggestions to rewrite their messages in a professional, funny, supportive, or simply rephrased style. WhatsApp demonstrated the feature with an example where a user’s original message, “Please don’t leave dirty socks on the sofa,” was transformed into humorous alternatives such as, “Please don’t make the sofa a sock graveyard,” “Breaking news: Socks found chilling on the couch. Please move them,” and “Hey, sock ninja, the laundry basket is that way!”
By introducing this capability, WhatsApp is likely encouraging users to rely on its built-in technology for message drafting instead of turning to external tools like ChatGPT. However, not everyone may welcome the feature, as some users prefer authentic and personal conversations with friends and family. While using AI to rewrite an email might be acceptable, using it to message a close relative could feel less genuine.
Users can access the new feature by tapping a pencil icon that appears while drafting a message in the app. Writing Help is rolling out in English and will be available starting Wednesday in select countries.