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Meta adds business voice calling to WhatsApp, explores AI-powered productrecommendations

Meta is enhancing WhatsApp's business capabilities by introducing voice calling for large companies and exploring AI-powered product recommendations. This addition aims to improve customer service through voice agents, while WhatsApp Business continues to be a significant revenue source for Meta, boasting over 200 million monthly users.

Key points

  • Meta announced voice calling for large businesses on WhatsApp, allowing companies to call back customers and enabling an AI-powered voice service through partners.
  • The feature is rolled out via API, expanding upon existing voice chat options for small businesses.
  • WhatsApp Business has over 200 million monthly users, contributing significantly to Meta's revenue through ads and messaging fees.
  • AI integration will provide product recommendations and customer support functions, with plans to monetize AI features post scaling.

Why it matters

  • This update aligns with the rising trend in 2025 of integrating AI in customer service and e-commerce.
  • As more businesses leverage AI for communications, similar to platforms like Shopify and others adopting personalized marketing tools, WhatsApp's direction follows market demands.
  • The emphasis on voice technology is parallel to the increasing consumer preference for voice-activated services and smart assistants.

Meta's innovation in WhatsApp's business operations not only aims to enhance customer interactions via voice but also positions the platform to capitalize on AI advancements, potentially ensuring sustained revenue growth as market needs evolve.