Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced a special new feature for iPhone users.
According to media reports, WhatsApp’s latest update introduces a feature that allows iPhone users to directly connect and chat with third-party agents from within the messaging app. Under the new feature, users can go to Settings and create up to five agents.
iPhone users can assign each agent a name and profile picture, after which WhatsApp generates an API key. The key can then be entered into the third-party service where the agent is hosted, allowing it to connect with the WhatsApp chat and respond to messages.
The feature is currently available to a limited number of users in select countries through WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.37.10.70.
WhatsApp said that an agent will only be able to access data that the sender has explicitly shared in the chat. The messaging platform has prevented agents from accessing other chats, contacts or media stored on the device.
Once connected, the agent appears in the chat list, allowing users to interact with it just like a regular conversation. However, chats with third-party agents have an important privacy difference compared with standard WhatsApp conversations.
Notably, these chats are not end-to-end encrypted because messages are routed through a secure Meta service by the agent developer.