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WhatsApp has officially reached a monumental milestone: more than 3 billion people now use the app every month. The announcement, made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company’s first-quarter earnings call this week, positions WhatsApp alongside Facebook as one of the only platforms in the world to cross the 3-billion-user threshold. This staggering number not only reflects the app’s deep global penetration but also underscores its growing significance within Meta’s broader ambitions especially in the realm of artificial intelligence.
Acquired by Meta (then Facebook) for $19 billion in 2014, WhatsApp has remained ad-free and free to use. Despite that, it has become a central component of Meta’s business, particularly as the company pivots heavily toward AI integration. Meta’s CFO, Susan Li, noted that WhatsApp currently sees the highest level of Meta AI engagement across all the company’s platforms. According to her, the majority of these interactions happen in one-on-one chats, with users exploring conversational AI features in a space they already trust and use daily.
Meta has been steadily introducing AI tools across its ecosystem, but WhatsApp’s role is proving especially vital. In many parts of the world, WhatsApp is the default messaging platform—woven into everyday life for billions. This makes it an ideal launchpad for AI services that aim to feel as natural and helpful as chatting with a friend. Zuckerberg emphasized that while WhatsApp has become a stronghold for AI in international markets, the U.S. presents a different challenge. American users still lean heavily on default messaging apps like iMessage, creating a barrier Meta is addressing with the rollout of its standalone Meta AI app. Zuckerberg explained that this app is designed to gain traction in regions where WhatsApp doesn’t dominate, saying, “We hope to become the leader over time [in the U.S. messaging market], but we’re in a different position there than we are in most of the rest of the world on WhatsApp.”
Still, WhatsApp’s business model is evolving. Its enterprise-focused offering, WhatsApp Business, is becoming a crucial revenue stream. Meta reported that its “family of apps” brought in $510 million last quarter, with WhatsApp Business accounting for a significant share. The platform is currently testing new AI-driven features that allow businesses to train Meta’s AI using their own content—be it a company’s website, social media presence, or WhatsApp profile through a customizable management interface. There are also trials underway that let businesses deploy Meta’s AI chatbot directly into customer conversations, potentially transforming how support and commerce operate on the app.
In a world increasingly shaped by generative AI, WhatsApp is no longer just a messaging app it’s becoming a distribution channel for intelligent services, a platform for business innovation, and a key part of Meta’s future. With 3 billion monthly users now in tow, Meta is not just connecting the world it’s teaching it to talk to machines.
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