WhatsApp already lets channel admins mark sponsored posts with a paid partnership label, a feature that started rolling out last month on Android and iOS. Now the app is cooking up something similar, but this time for AI-generated media. The idea is to keep followers in the loop when a photo or video wasn’t captured with a camera but conjured up by an AI tool instead.
How will the new AI label work?
WaBetaInfo spotted this feature brewing inside the WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.26.31.1, currently available on the Google Play Store. Once it goes live, admins will be able to tap and hold an update containing AI-generated media to bring up the context menu, where a new “Add AI content label” option will appear.
Tap it, and a visible tag gets attached to the message bubble so followers instantly know they’re looking at AI-made content. Once the label is added, admins likely won’t be able to remove it, so it pays to double-check before hitting share.
Not everything needs the tag, though. Plain text messages, even ones drafted using WhatsApp’s own Writing Help tool, seem to be exempt from this rule.
Why do admins need this AI label?
Turns out, it’s not just about being a good digital citizen. Several countries now have laws that require apps to disclose AI-generated media, and this label gives admins a simple way to stay compliant without extra hassle. Best of all, it doesn’t play favorites. Whether you made your image using Meta AI, ChatGPT, Gemini, or literally any other tool, the label applies the same way.
For now, this feature is still baking in the Android beta, and testers don’t have access to it just yet. WhatsApp is also working on bringing the same label to iOS, so it won’t stay an Android exclusive for long. There’s no word yet on a public rollout date, but we’ll keep an eye on it.