WhatsApp has been spotted working on an AI-powered image editor, the Ask Meta AI feature

WhatsApp is currently working on a feature that will allow users to edit their images using an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered editing tool, according to details shared by a tracking feature. Users may be able to quickly change the background of an image, change it, or “enhance” it using AI when the feature is rolled out to users in the future. Meanwhile, the company is also working on a feature that will allow users to ask questions to the company’s “Meta AI” service directly from the search bar.

According to feature tracker WABetaInfo, a feature tracker with a track record of spotting new messaging app features before they’re released, the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.7.13 update contains code for AI image editor. The feature, which is still under development, cannot currently be tested by users who have signed up to receive beta versions of the app.

The upcoming AI-based WhatsApp features
Photo: WABetaInfo

In a screenshot published by WABetaInfo, an early version of the feature is seen in the interface that appears when sending images on WhatsApp for Android. A green icon located at the top, to the left of the HD icon is visible and touching it shows three options background, Restyleand Expansion. Since the feature is still under development, it’s currently unclear what each of these features does.

Meanwhile, the newer beta version of WhatsApp for Android 2.24.7.14 contains details of another feature discovered by WABetaInfo. Functional tracker has noticed the ability to use the search bar at the top of the app to make queries to Meta AI — the company’s generative AI assistant for Meta products, designed to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

It’s worth noting that both features are still under development, so you won’t be able to test them even after you update to the latest version of the app. These features will likely be refined and improved, then released to testers in the beta channel before being released to all users. They are also expected to make their way to iOS users, ensuring feature parity across the two mobile platforms.