Can WhatsApp’s New AI Feature Really Peek into Your Encrypted Conversations?

Paytm founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma warns users to block AI in group chats; WhatsApp reassures end-to-end encryption stays intact

21 August 2025, New Delhi

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma on Tuesday triggered a storm across social media when he claimed WhatsApp was now “allowing AI to read chats” and urged users to enable a setting to block it. The post quickly went viral, stoking widespread concerns over Meta’s integration of artificial intelligence into the world’s most popular messaging app.

🚨IMP If you are part of WhatsApp group. Today onwards WhatsApp is allowing ai to read chats. ‼️‼️
So enable this setting to block it. pic.twitter.com/VhJomO4Msd

— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) August 19, 2025

In his X post, Sharma wrote: “IMP If you are part of a WhatsApp group. Today onwards WhatsApp is allowing AI to read chats. So enable this setting to block it.”

With Paytm’s founder commanding a huge following, the statement spread rapidly, igniting fears of privacy breaches.

WhatsApp’s Response: “Meta AI Engages Only When Invoked by Users”

WhatsApp moved quickly to reassure users, stressing that its long-standing end-to-end encryption remains unbroken.

“ All personal, business, and group messages are end-to-end encrypted. Neither WhatsApp nor Meta—nor any AI—can read them unless you explicitly share content with Meta AI, ” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

Meta AI is optional and works only when users actively invoke it, for instance by typing @MetaAI in a chat.

As many commenters have already pointed out, this is not true. Meta AI on WhatsApp can only read what you choose to share with it (it does not have access to all your chats or contacts). Meta AI is not 'on' until you choose to use it by messaging it directly or invoking it in an…

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) August 19, 2025

What Is “Advanced Chat Privacy”?

The uproar was triggered by WhatsApp’s introduction of a new “Advanced Chat Privacy” setting. This feature, available inside group chat settings, allows users to:

• Stop others from using Meta AI to summarize chats,
• Prevent chat exports,
• Block automatic media saving to galleries.

Importantly, the feature is off by default and exists to give users extra control. It does not indicate that AI was reading chats by default.

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Fact-Check: Claim Marked as False

Independent fact-checking site Snopes rated the viral claim False. Their assessment confirmed that Meta AI only processes messages deliberately shared with it and that WhatsApp’s encryption ensures no one else—human or AI—can access private conversations.

Sharma’s post, however, resonated widely, prompting many users to revisit their privacy settings. While WhatsApp’s clarification eased concerns, the episode underlined growing unease over the integration of AI features into everyday communication apps.

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