Tecnology
WhatsApp introduces the blue circle, Meta AI button: where is it, how does it work and how to disable it?
After several months of delay, Meta AI finally arrives at WhatsApp in Europe. These are all the features this new AI offers in the messaging app.
After being delayed due to the legal framework in Europe, Meta AI arrived on WhatsApp from March 21 to 23. The “blue circle” that has appeared on the app for many users is nothing less than a new artificial intelligence available to all. This is Meta’s response—owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—to the growing popularity of ChatGPT. The company wants to implement this AI in several of its products, starting with WhatsApp as a testing ground for future integration into its other platforms.
Meta AI arrives in Europe: what the blue circle on WhatsApp is for
As Meta announced in a statement last September, the tech giant intended to integrate its Meta AI into several of its products and applications, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. However, Meta AI has been added to WhatsApp in Europe at the end of March 2025, after being delayed a few months compared to the rest of the world due to the legislation in this continent, which leads in AI regulation.
To get Meta AI on WhatsApp, just update the app to its latest version.
Broadly speaking, Meta AI is very similar to other AI-powered chatbots like the famous ChatGPT. This AI is powered by Llama, Meta’s machine learning model. Opening its chat, just like any other contact, with Meta AI we can do the following:
- Ask me: we can write to Meta AI for answers or simply have a conversation with the AI.
- Talk to me: we can speak and ask questions to Meta AI using the phone’s microphone and speaker, offering a more convenient way to ask questions for those who don’t want to use the keyboard.
- Look at this: we can send an image to Meta AI and get answers about it. For example, it can translate a restaurant menu into another language or give information on how to care for a plant from a photo.
- Edit my photo: Meta AI can help you edit photos, including removing or adding elements. For example, we can ask to remove a stranger from the background or change the colors of an object.
However, Meta AI omits one key feature in Europe: generating images from scratch, a feature other AIs like ChatGPT or X’s Grok can do. This is one of the most useful and popular features in these apps, but also one of the most controversial. Grok, for example, has often shown that its minimal content filters and moderation allow the creation of problematic images of public figures.
In any case, one thing is clear: Meta has expanded its market into the AI field and now has ChatGPT in its sights as one of its main competitorsAs Meta announced in a statement last September, the tech giant intended to integrate its Meta AI into several of its products and applications, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
However, Meta AI has been added to WhatsApp in Europe at the end of March 2025, after being delayed a few months compared to the rest of the world due to the legislation in this continent, which leads in AI regulation.Taking advantage of its massive user base worldwide through platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, Meta hopes to emerge victorious from the fierce AI war. Only time will tell if its offering of features, along with easy access and availability, gives it a decisive edge over its rivals.
Where is the Meta AI button in Whastapp?
To access Meta AI in WhatsApp, ensure you have the latest version of the app installed. Open WhatsApp and tap the “new chat” icon, typically located at the bottom right corner of the main screen, represented by a pencil or chat bubble icon. In the chat list, you’ll find “Meta AI” among your contacts. Tap on this contact to start a conversation with Meta’s AI assistant.
How to disable the Meta AI button in Whastapp
Meta AI is an artificial intelligence tool integrated into WhatsApp that allows users to interact with a virtual assistant directly within the app.
To access Meta AI, simply open WhatsApp, and you’ll see a blue circle icon on the main chat screen. By tapping on this icon, a conversation with the AI assistant will open, where you can ask questions or request information.
To disable or minimize the presence of Meta AI on WhatsApp, you can delete the chat with the assistant.
Follow these steps:
- Open the conversation with Meta AI in WhatsApp.
- Tap on the chat name at the top of the screen to access the chat settings.
- Select “Delete chat” and confirm the action.
Please note that while this will hide the chat with Meta AI, the AI functionality will remain active in the app. Currently, it’s not possible to completely disable Meta AI on WhatsApp.