WhatsApp adds incognito mode for private Meta AI chats
Your Meta AI chats now vanish when you close the app or lock your phone.
Meta is rolling out an incognito mode for its Meta AI chatbot on WhatsApp, allowing users to have private conversations that are not saved and disappear when the chat window is closed or the phone is locked. These conversations are processed in a secure environment and are invisible to others, including Meta itself, according to the company. The feature, which will also be available on the standalone Meta AI app, uses Meta's latest Muse Spark model released last month. Alice Newton-Rex, VP of Product at WhatsApp, told TechCrunch that the move addresses growing use of AI for sensitive topics like health and finances.
Meta has been preparing for private AI interactions since last year when it detailed its private processing infrastructure designed to maintain end-to-end encryption. The same architecture powers features like AI-powered message summaries. Meta also previewed Side Chat, which lets users invoke Meta AI within group chats privately without showing responses to others. This comes as competitors like ChatGPT and Claude offer similar incognito modes, and privacy-focused firms like DuckDuckGo and Proton have launched their own confidential chatbots. The timing is notable: lawyers recently warned that users' conversations with AI could be used against them in litigation.
- Incognito chats on WhatsApp are not saved; messages disappear when you close the chat, lock your phone, or close the app.
- Feature uses Meta's Muse Spark model and will roll out over the next few months to WhatsApp and Meta AI app.
- Meta previewed Side Chat, letting users privately ask AI questions in group chats without notifying other participants.
Why It Matters
Privacy-conscious professionals can now use Meta AI for sensitive topics without leaving permanent traces.