Meta rolls out a new private‑chat mode for WhatsApp users, letting them talk to its AI without the company reading the messages. The feature, called Incognito Chat, uses end‑to‑end encryption to keep conversations hidden even from Meta. It debuted at the company’s LlamaCon AI conference in April 2025.

Messages sent in Incognito Chat never leave a secure enclave built with Meta’s Private Processing tech. They aren’t stored, and they vanish by default, meaning the data can’t feed back into training the chatbot. The move follows criticism that other platforms let the company see both sides of AI chats.

Meta plans to roll out Incognito Chat gradually to all WhatsApp users and to the standalone Meta AI app over the next few months. Alongside, a Side Chat feature will let users query or summarize any ongoing conversation with the bot, adding another layer of privacy and convenience.

The announcement comes after Meta faced backlash over a Grok‑style chatbot on Threads, where users could not block the @meta.ai account. By ensuring conversations stay encrypted and undisclosed, Meta addresses privacy concerns while expanding its AI ecosystem, potentially reshaping how users interact with chatbots across its platforms.