WhatsApp Business Adds Voice Calls, AI Agents for Enterprises

Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, has announced the addition of new AI-powered features to its WhatsApp Business suite. The company revealed that it will introduce voice call functionality for large enterprises, exploring the application of AI voice agents in the process. This update will enable the application to delve into the potential uses of AI voice agents, enhancing the communication capabilities between businesses and their customers.

WhatsApp Business currently boasts over 200 million monthly active users and has become a significant revenue driver for Meta. The platform generates income through "click to WhatsApp" advertisements and by charging businesses for messaging services. While the current AI functionalities are not monetized, there is potential for them to become paid services in the future as they scale.

Currently, small business accounts already support voice chats with customers, but this feature has not been available for large enterprise accounts until now. In the coming weeks, large enterprises will be able to access this functionality through an API interface. This will allow customers to initiate voice calls to businesses, and businesses will also be able to call customers back, a feature that was not available during the testing phase last year.

WhatsApp also plans to introduce a feature that allows customers and businesses to send voice messages to each other. By opening up the voice channel, businesses can leverage technologies from startups like Vapi, ElevenLabs, Coval, or Phonic to deploy AI-powered voice customer service systems on WhatsApp. This move is part of Meta's broader strategy to integrate AI into its services, aiming to enhance user experience and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.