Top News

New Delhi: WhatsApp, supported by Meta, has introduced ‘Business AI’ in India, aimed at enhancing customer support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the WhatsApp Business app.

This innovative feature allows eligible businesses to engage with customers around the clock, addressing inquiries, capturing leads, scheduling appointments, and boosting sales without the need for extra tools.

Businesses can personalize the AI to provide automated responses to common questions about their products, services, pricing, discounts, and shipping.

WhatsApp has stated that this AI tool will support conversations in all of India's native languages.

In the near future, it will also facilitate payments within chats via UPI.

Importantly, businesses will maintain full control and can intervene in conversations whenever necessary, according to the messaging platform.

The rollout of Business AI will commence in the coming weeks for all eligible businesses using the WhatsApp Business app.

A recent study highlighted by WhatsApp revealed that 91% of online adults in India interact with businesses weekly.

Ravi Garg, Director of Business Messaging at Meta India, emphasized that SMEs often face challenges in managing a high volume of customer inquiries with limited resources, and AI can help bridge this gap.

He stated, “Small businesses are the backbone of India’s economy, and we recognize the importance of every customer interaction. The introduction of Business AI on WhatsApp empowers small businesses to manage customer queries more effectively.”

Eligible businesses can activate this feature by accessing the Tools tab in the WhatsApp Business app and selecting ‘Your Business AI’, where they will find step-by-step guidance for setup.

Moreover, the AI can be trained using existing business profiles, product catalogs, and documents, and businesses have the flexibility to adjust or disable the feature at any time.