WhatsApp has launched a new AI-powered message summary feature, designed to provide a secure and concise overview of unread messages.
Meta AI: WhatsApp has introduced a new AI-based feature, ‘Message Summary,’ aimed at making the user’s chat experience smarter and more convenient. This feature allows users to quickly understand lengthy or unread chats without scrolling, all while maintaining complete security and privacy.
This feature is built on Meta’s advanced AI engine and is designed with user privacy as a top priority. WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, claims that this technology is based on ‘Private Processing’ infrastructure, utilizing Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs).
What is WhatsApp’s Message Summary Feature?
This feature is particularly helpful for users who are active in multiple groups or personal chats and frequently accumulate a large number of unread messages. Reading every message can be time-consuming and may lead to overlooking important details.
The Message Summary feature provides users with a concise bulleted list summarizing the key topics discussed in a chat – such as event discussions, important announcements, or files or locations shared by members.
How Does This AI-Powered Feature Work?
The feature leverages Meta AI to generate a summary of WhatsApp chats without accessing the chats themselves, utilizing private processing technology.
- When a user taps on the unread message icon in a chat, the AI generates a summary of that chat.
- This summary is displayed in a small card or window, clearly labeled as ‘Only you will see this.’
- Users can highlight any text within a chat and request a summary of that specific portion.
Meta claims that throughout this process, no third party – not even WhatsApp and Meta’s servers – can access a user’s messages.
What is the ‘Private Processing’ Technology?
To ensure the feature is secure and reliable, Meta has developed the Private Processing infrastructure, which operates on three key principles:
1. Confidential Processing
The system is designed so that when a summary is generated, no other system or employee has access to your data. This is achieved through data encryption and Trusted Processing Units.
2. Enforceable Guarantees
If any system or hacker attempts to modify this private processing, the entire process automatically shuts down, and the information is recorded.
3. Transparency and Auditing
Meta claims that security researchers and users can audit this system to ensure they are confident that Meta’s AI is safeguarding their information.
Furthermore, the system incorporates additional security measures such as stateless processing and forward security, making it impossible to track any user’s identity or data.
Which Users Will Receive This Feature?
WhatsApp has initially launched this feature for English-speaking users in the United States. The company states that this feature is optional and is initially disabled. Users can manually enable it.
Meta has indicated that the feature will be available in other languages and countries by the end of 2025, potentially including large user bases like India.
Will This Change Your Chatting Habits?
Absolutely. This feature will be particularly beneficial for individuals who are constantly busy and don’t have time to read through chats regularly. By reviewing summaries, they can quickly understand which chats require attention and which can be addressed later.
Moreover, the feature could promote digital detox as users can gather necessary information in a single session instead of repeatedly opening chats.
