Meta Platforms has added ‘Incognito Chat’ features to WhatsApp to address privacy concerns during users’ sensitive conversations with Meta AI on the app.

The company announced the update in a blog post on WhatsApp’s website on Wednesday, noting that even the Meta company can no longer read conversations between users and Meta AI after introducing the AI feature.

Chatting with AI has become a critical part of how people get information and ask important questions, even on social media platforms.

Many of these questions can be deeply sensitive or include private financial, personal, health, or work-related data.

Meta said it is extending its privacy features to chats with Meta AI, following the introduction of end-to-end encryption ten years ago, which ensures privacy in conversations between two users.

The incognito chat feature is different from end-to-end encryption; it ensures privacy between users and Meta AI.

“Today we’re launching Incognito Chat with Meta AI, a new way to have completely private conversations with AI,” the tech giant said, noting that the privacy feature allows WhatsApp users to talk to Meta AI in a way that is invisible to anyone else.

It explained that the newly launched Incognito feature allows chats to disappear after conversations, enabling users to explore and think through their ideas privately.

The conversation will end if users close the app or lock their phone, and Meta AI will lose the context of the discussion.

Meta joins ChatGPT, Claude, Protons, and other tech companies that offer chatbots in incognito mode.

“Other apps have introduced incognito-style modes, but they can still see the questions coming in and the answers going out. Incognito Chat with Meta AI is truly private; no one can read your conversation, not even us.

“Since we started exploring bringing AI to WhatsApp, we’ve been focused on how to deliver this power privately, at a global scale. When you start an Incognito Chat with Meta AI, you’re creating a private, temporary conversation that only you can see.

“Your messages are processed in a secure environment that even Meta cannot access. Your conversations are not saved and, by default, your messages disappear, giving you a space to think and explore ideas without anyone watching,” the company stated.

WhatsApp users can activate an incognito session by tapping on a new icon in one-on-one chats with Meta AI. The company said the feature will also be available on other Meta-owned apps, including Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, in the coming months.

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Side chat

The tech firm said it will also launch ‘Side Chat’ in the coming months, which will offer users private help with any chat as private ways of interacting become part of users’ daily routines.

“We believe this private way of chatting has the potential to become one of several ways people interact with AI on WhatsApp. In the coming months, we’ll also introduce Side Chat protected by Private Processing.

“Side Chat with Meta AI will give you private help with any chat, with the context of what’s being discussed, without disrupting the main conversation.

“We remain committed to delivering privacy for the world. Incognito Chat with Meta AI is rolling out on WhatsApp and the Meta AI app over the coming months,” the company said.

The summit, themed “Lagos: Business Gateway to Africa,” was announced during a press briefing by the State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem.

It is being jointly organised by the Lagos State Government, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, and several public and private sector partners.

Ambrose-Medebem said the event has evolved beyond a traditional investment conference into a global platform for policy dialogue, capital mobilisation, investor matchmaking, and strategic economic engagement.

According to her, the expected participation of delegates from Commonwealth member states and other regions reflects growing international confidence in Lagos as a leading investment destination.

Attendees will include policymakers, multinational corporations, development finance institutions, entrepreneurs, innovators, and trade delegations from Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

The summit will feature keynote speeches, plenary sessions, executive roundtables, sector-focused investment forums, exhibitions, and business-to-business and business-to-government meetings.

Key sectors on the agenda include infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, the blue economy, tourism, energy transition, logistics, transportation, financial services, real estate, and small business development.

A major highlight will be a governors’ investment showcase designed to connect state governments with global investors and development partners.

The commissioner also emphasised Lagos’ strategic position as an economic hub, citing its large consumer base, expanding infrastructure, innovation ecosystem, and maritime advantages.

With a population of over 23 million and one of Africa’s largest city economies, she said Lagos remains uniquely positioned to attract global capital across multiple sectors, in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s economic agenda.

The summit is expected to produce investment agreements, policy frameworks, and action plans aimed at boosting job creation and long-term economic growth.

Co-chairman of the Technical Committee on Invest Lagos 3.0, Toyosi Akerele, also highlighted the role of technology in the event, noting that an AI-powered dashboard will enable global participation in real time.

Students from institutions such as Lagos State University will operate parts of the summit’s digital command centre as part of efforts to build youth capacity and human capital development.

She also disclosed plans for a podcast segment featuring foreign delegates sharing insights on Lagos’ business environment, culture, and tourism appeal.

In addition, more than 400 international delegates are expected to participate in post-summit guided tours on June 10, including visits to the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote Refinery, Dangote Fertiliser Plant, Lekki Deep Sea Port, RussellSmith 3D Printing and Manufacturing Centre, as well as key transport infrastructure such as the Blue and Red Line rail systems.