WhatsApp is currently testing a new feature that will allow users to create and share AI-generated stickers. According to WABetaInfo, the feature is currently limited to select beta testers with a wider roll out expected in the coming weeks.
The new feature will allow WhatsApp users to generate stickers based on a text description similar to how popular image generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) models like OpenAI’s DALL-E work; the generative model creates images based on a user text prompt. According to WABetaInfo, the AI stickers feature is powered by its parent company Meta’s technology.
The feature is accessible on the ‘sticker’ tab on the WhatsApp keyboard where you’ll find a “Create” button. You can then give a text description of a personalized image. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will present a set of AI-generated stickers based on the prompt given and the user can share the preferred sticker in the chat.
There has been a wave of generative AI applications across domains such as text and image as startups and big tech companies offering services integrated with these models. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in May that there was an “opportunity to introduce AI agents to billions of people in ways that will be useful and meaningful” and further added that the company was working on chat integrations in WhatsApp and Messenger. The new feature is a first that we are seeing this type of AI integration on WhatsApp.
As the applications and continuous integration of generative AI models in most systems rises so has the ethical concerns over potential misuse. To address this, Meta has included the option of reporting harmful and inappropriate stickers. In addition, while addressing copyright concerns and the need to identify images generated by AI, the stickers are watermarked to make them easily recognisable.
