Meta Adds Incognito Mode to Meta AI Chats on WhatsApp
Meta has announced an update to its Meta AI chatbot within WhatsApp, introducing a new feature called “incognito” conversations. These sessions are designed to be secure and private, ensuring that messages cannot be seen by anyone else.
This enhancement allows users to initiate incognito chats in one-on-one interactions with the Meta AI assistant through a newly added icon in their chat interface. The feature is also available within the standalone Meta AI app.
Incognito sessions will soon become accessible on both WhatsApp and the Meta AI app, scheduled for rollout over the next few months.
The company emphasizes that these conversations are processed securely and do not leave any records or messages visible to other users. Messages in an incognito chat automatically disappear once the session is closed, or if the user locks their device or closes the application.
Meta’s VP of Product, Alice Newton-Rex, highlighted the importance of this feature: “People are increasingly using AI for private interactions—whether it’s managing finances, health concerns, or personal communications. We want to provide a way for them to have these conversations privately.”
The addition of incognito mode is part of Meta’s broader strategy to integrate secure AI capabilities into its messaging platform. Last year, the company detailed plans for a private processing infrastructure that would allow it to build AI features without compromising end-to-end encryption.
Incognito chats utilize the latest Muse Spark model, which was released in April. This marks a significant step forward from previous implementations of smaller models.
In addition to incognito mode, Meta is developing another feature called “Side Chat.” This allows users to invoke Meta AI within existing conversations without alerting other participants and ensuring that the conversation stays private.
Currently, initiating a private query via Meta AI requires tagging a message with an inquiry. To maintain privacy, this must be done in a separate chat window.
Other companies like ChatGPT and Claude have also introduced incognito modes for their respective AI assistants. Privacy-focused platforms such as DuckDuckGo and Proton have launched their own private AI chatbots as well.
The introduction of these features comes amid growing concerns about the legal implications of user interactions with AI. Last month, Reuters reported that some lawyers suggested conversations between users and an AI assistant could be used in court proceedings.
Key Takeaways
- Meta introduces incognito mode within its Meta AI chatbot on WhatsApp to ensure private interactions with the assistant.
- The feature will be available across both the main WhatsApp app and the standalone Meta AI app, scheduled for rollout in the coming months.
- This move aligns with Meta’s broader strategy of integrating secure AI capabilities into its messaging ecosystem.
Originally published at techcrunch.com. Curated by AI Maestro.
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