Meta AI in WhatsApp organizes chats and reopens privacy issues

The trend of integrating AI into digital platforms continues. In the latest Android beta release (2.26.9.4), the company has introduced a feature that allows users to organize their chat history with the help of Meta AI.

Organize WhatsApp chats with Meta AI (Source: WABetaInfo)

Some beta testers can access a new feature that lets them review their conversations with Meta AI. Each time a user sends a new prompt, the chatbot starts a separate conversation, and the information shared within that thread is used to understand context and respond to subsequent messages.

Despite this separation, all messages exchanged with Meta AI are still displayed within a single interface, even when they belong to different conversations.

“With the latest update, WhatsApp is making it easier for users to track information shared in specific conversations with Meta AI. Each conversation is now treated as a separate thread, so information from one chat is not automatically carried over to another. However, memory is still shared across all AI threads unless users choose to disable it from the contact info screen,” WABetaInfo reported.

The feature may appeal to users who value AI-assisted organization. It also raises questions about data handling and privacy.

Messages sent to Meta AI are processed on the company’s servers to generate responses and maintain context. These exchanges fall outside WhatsApp’s standard end-to-end encrypted user-to-user model.

Users may disclose sensitive details, including health, financial or personal information, without knowing how long the data is stored or how it may be used. That creates privacy concerns, particularly in the EU, where regulators have said certain forms of AI data processing may require explicit consent.

The company has already faced criticism over its AI training practices.

According to a company blog post, the AI feature allows Meta to personalize content and advertising based on users’ interactions with its generative AI tools. There is no opt-out for this data use, and it applies to anyone who engages with Meta AI on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Messenger.

Meta says it is investing significant effort in protecting user privacy. How those safeguards perform over time remains to be seen.

from Help Net Security https://ift.tt/pz5SJjX

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