WhatsApp is testing the mode “Incognito”a feature that will allow users interact with Meta AI without leaving traces and without the messages being used to improve or personalize the service. This means that, when the function is active, it will be possible to start completely temporary sessions, where any content exchanged will be deleted at the end of the conversation. The new mode will therefore act as a sort of “private browsing” for chats initiated with Meta’s AI-powered chatbot. Meta AI’s memory features, which allow you to save personal information for more targeted suggestions, will not work during incognito sessions. The function, currently under development, can be activated very easily directly from the chat interface. It is not yet clear when the function, currently available only for beta testers, will also be extended to users who use the stable version of WhatsApp.
What is WhatsApp’s new “Incognito” mode for?
There new “Incognito” mode is new in the update WhatsApp beta for Android characterized by version number 2.25.28.1. where the developers have introduced tools to make interaction with Meta AI safer and more aware. Currently, when personal details are shared with the Meta AI, they are stored in the chatbot’s “memory”, thus allowing the latter to return personalized responses over time. By activating incognito mode, all of this is temporarily suspended for the current session: no information you provide is recorded or used in the future, and once you close the conversation, the system will automatically delete your entire chat history, preventing any subsequent tracking.
Just a small aside to better understand the issue of Meta AI’s memory, i.e. the chatbot’s ability to “remember” the information you decide to share. Normally, this system allows the AI to behave like a personal assistant: if you tell it that you are a vegetarian or that you work in marketing, the answers it will give you from now on will take these personal details into account. With incognito mode, you will prevent the artificial intelligence from capturing and remembering personal details about you. A similar feature is also present for other AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT.
How to activate incognito chat on WhatsApp with Meta AI
Activating the mode will be very intuitive, at least according to the first rumors provided by the specialized portal WABetaInfo (who discovered the function). Before starting a chat with Meta AI, just go to the chat settings and select the option Incognito mode. Regarding the intuitiveness with which the function can be activated, the aforementioned portal stated:
Incognito mode is currently in development, but is already designed to be intuitive and easy to activate once released. A simple action available directly in the chat interface will allow users to activate this privacy-focused mode before starting a conversation. Once activated, all messages shared during the session will be treated as temporary. Meta AI will respond as usual, but without storing any information or tailoring suggestions based on previous interactions. This ensures that the AI experience is completely real-time, with no impact on long-term memory.
When WhatsApp “Incognito” mode will be available
Regarding When will “Incognito” mode be available? we don’t know yet. It is likely that it will still be some time before this sees the light in the stable version of the WhatsApp app, the one used by the majority of us. This is because the development of the feature is still at an early stage and WhatsApp could introduce various changes and improvements before releasing it to the general public. The timing will depend a lot on how the tests go in the next few weeks.
