Meta launches 'Business Agent' AI bot for WhatsApp globally

Meta has made its AI customer support bot, now called the Meta Business Agent, available globally within WhatsApp. After nearly two years of testing in countries like India and Mexico, the agent can answer customer questions, recommend products, book appointments, qualify sales leads, and reroute queries to a human agent if needed. The company is also extending the bot to Instagram DMs. Meta is additionally testing a daily briefing feature that summarizes overnight chats and provides insights, available to select accounts across WhatsApp Business, Instagram Pro, Messenger, and Meta Business Suite.

Looking ahead, Meta plans to add capabilities such as market research, highlighting product features, managing users' calendars, and connecting to external tools for competitive insights. The agent will also surface relevant businesses when users search or share contact details. For larger enterprises, Meta is building a platform to create custom agents that integrate with systems like Shopify, Zendesk, and Shopee. Pricing for the agent is tied to WhatsApp Business Premium subscription tiers, with large businesses paying based on token usage. This move is critical for WhatsApp, which has historically relied on businesses paying for messaging and click-to-WhatsApp ads.