Small and medium businesses in India are set to get a major boost as WhatsApp has introduced a new AI-based customer support feature within the WhatsApp Business app. Called Business AI, the feature is designed to automate customer interactions, answer queries instantly, and help businesses improve customer engagement without needing additional software or third-party platforms.
The new tool can be customised using a business’s product catalogue, profile information, pricing details, discounts, appointments, shipping updates, and service information. Once activated, the AI assistant can automatically reply to customer questions at any time of the day, helping businesses manage conversations even outside working hours.
WhatsApp said the feature supports all native Indian languages and is specifically focused on helping small and medium-sized businesses handle growing customer communication more efficiently.
The platform also revealed that support for UPI payments inside WhatsApp chats will be added soon, allowing businesses to manage customer interactions and transactions in one place. Businesses will continue to have the option to manually take over chats whenever required, especially for personalised or complex requests.
Referring to a 2025 study, Meta said 91% of online adults in India communicate with businesses every week through messaging platforms, highlighting the increasing role of WhatsApp in business communication.
“With the introduction of Business AI on WhatsApp, we’re now putting that power directly into the hands of small businesses — ensuring they never miss a customer query outside business hours or struggle to keep up during peak demand,” Ravi Garg, Director Business Messaging, Meta India, said in a statement.
Businesses that participated in the early rollout also shared positive feedback. Plant-based personal care brand Soil Concept said the feature helped reduce missed customer queries during late hours, while gifting brand The Purple Sunset said it improved daily customer interaction management.
Eligible businesses can access the feature through the Tools tab in WhatsApp Business under “Your Business AI.” Meta said the rollout across India will happen over the coming weeks.
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