The feature, announced on Wednesday, is built on WhatsApp’s “private processing” technology and supports the platform’s existing AI tools while maintaining end-to-end encryption. According to Meta, the system processes AI requests in a secure environment known as a trusted execution environment, ensuring that messages cannot be accessed by the company itself.
“Secret Chat processes all AI inference in a trusted execution environment, making your messages inaccessible,” Mark Zuckerberg wrote in the post. “When you end your session, your cell phone conversations will also disappear.”
Mehta said the feature is aimed at users seeking confidential AI conversations around topics such as health, finances and career advice. Unlike traditional “incognito modes” offered by other AI services, Meta claims that the new system will not allow businesses to see any questions or answers.
The company added that chats are temporary by default and disappear when the session ends. Currently, the service supports text-only conversations, but image and audio features are in development.
Meta also announced a related feature called “Side Chat with Meta AI.” This allows users to privately ask the AI questions about ongoing personal or group chats without revealing that information to the company.
“Secret chats powered by Meta AI are truly private, meaning no one, even Meta, can read your conversations,” the company said in an official statement.
The feature will be gradually rolled out on WhatsApp and Meta AI apps over the coming months to the platform’s more than 3 billion users around the world.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that Pavel Durov criticized WhatsApp, claiming that the platform’s encryption system could give users a false sense of privacy.
