Meta has begun rolling out its artificial intelligence assistant within WhatsApp in Spain., officially marking its introduction in Europe after a long wait. This new feature, easily recognizable by a blue circular icon in the app's interface, allows you to have conversations with an AI without leaving the popular messaging platform. For more details about its launch, you can check out this article on Meta AI in Spain.
Meta AI deployment is not limited to WhatsApp, as it has also been integrated into other apps from the group, such as Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. Its arrival in Europe comes after the company had to adjust its operations to comply with the continent's privacy regulations, which are particularly strict regarding the processing of personal data.
What exactly is Meta AI and how do you access it from WhatsApp?
Meta AI is a digital assistant designed to interact with users using natural language., using the Llama 3.2 language model. Unlike other artificial intelligences like ChatGPT or Gemini, it doesn't require installing additional apps or creating external accounts. Everything happens within WhatsApp, making it easy to use even for people unfamiliar with this type of technology.
To start using it, just look for the blue icon at the bottom right when you open the app. If it still doesn't appear, it's recommended to update WhatsApp to the latest version available from the Play Store or App Store. In some cases, the circle will only be visible after pressing the button to start a new chat (with the '+' symbol). If you want to learn more about how to interact with the AI, check out this article on Interaction with Meta AI on WhatsApp.
Once the chat is started, Meta AI behaves like any other contact. in your conversation list. You can write to them directly, use voice commands, or even add them to groups by typing '@MetaAI' followed by your query.
Key features of Meta AI in WhatsApp
Meta AI offers a series of useful tools directly accessible from the app:
- General information consultation: You can ask it about the weather, current news, events, or any other internet-accessible information. It uses Bing as its built-in search engine.
- Creation and correction of texts: Write emails, stories, recommendations, or even code in different programming languages like HTML, Python, or Java, directly from the app.
- Translation and summary: allows you to translate texts between multiple languages, or condense long content such as articles or news.
- Participation in groups: By mentioning '@MetaAI' in a group conversation, all members can benefit from its capabilities without leaving the chat.
- Basic photo editingIn its current, albeit limited, version, Meta's AI can modify images, allowing you to erase elements, change colors, or blur backgrounds. If you'd like to learn more about how to take advantage of these features, check out this article on Meta AI in WhatsApp.
At the moment, the function to generate images from scratch is not available in Europe. For regulatory reasons. This capability is operational in the United States and other markets, so it is expected to sooner or later also reach European users if regulations change or Meta finds a formula that meets legal requirements.
Advantages of integrating Meta AI into WhatsApp
Meta's decision to bring its AI directly to the group's most used apps comes with some notable benefits:
- Easy use: Since it's integrated into the messaging app itself, there's no need to open websites or download additional tools.
- Gratuity: All Meta AI features are available free of charge to users.
- Versatility: From resolving doubts to creating content, the possibilities are multiple and applicable to personal or work contexts.
- Familiarity: Being on an already known platform like WhatsApp, it is more accessible even for those who have never used an AI.
Furthermore, the fact that Meta AI understands natural language It eliminates the need to learn technical or specific commands to get results. Simply type or say what you want, just as you would with another contact.
Current drawbacks and limitations
As with any emerging technology, Meta AI also presents some critical points or aspects that could be improved:
- Impossibility of deactivating itOnce the blue icon appears, you can't remove it from Settings or by tapping on it. You can only ignore it or delete active conversations.
- Privacy : Although Meta has assured that it will only be able to read messages sent to the AI and not the content of other chats, Everything you say or share with Meta AI is stored on their servers.
- Lack of important functions in Europe: such as image generation, which is still prohibited by the continent's artificial intelligence laws. Meanwhile, the company is working to expand Meta AI's capabilities.
- Veracity of the information: Data provided by AI is not always guaranteed to be accurate, so it is advisable to verify any relevant information.
It has also been noted that Meta AI can still exhibit biases in its responses, something common in advanced language models. Although the company continues to train and update its technology, users should maintain a critical attitude toward the results.
Despite its limitations, Meta AI represents an important step towards the everyday integration of artificial intelligence tools. in the daily lives of millions of people. Its arrival in Spain marks the beginning of a new era in which, little by little, interacting with an AI from a WhatsApp conversation will become as common as sending an emoji. As regulations and technology advance, we're likely to see new features added to the current package, such as assistant customization or the use of contextual memory.
