Italy says Meta may be violating law with AI in WhatsApp

Meta's addition of AI services to encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp has Italian officials suspecting the Silicon Valley giant may be abusing its dominant market position to push unwanted features on users. The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) said in a statement that Meta added its Meta AI service to WhatsApp "without …

[beast666]

'AI' is not fit for purpose.

[Roland6]

Once I realised ChatGPT was just ELIZA on steroids, I lost interest…

Hence as yet not found a use for AI in WhatsApp..

[Dan 55]

"an optional element that's not on until users engage with it"

If you search for a contact name or message text then you're also optionally engaging with Meta AI's suggestions obligatorily because you can't use search without Meta AI.

If you accidentally hit the icon right next to the chat icon you're optionally obligatorily engaging with Meta AI.

If someone else in a chat or group chat optionally decides to bring Meta AI into the conversation, it will obligatorily use your messages.

All of that and anywhere else it's been crowbarred into WhatsApp should be optional and opt-in, so the Italian competition authority is right.

[NATTtrash]

Re: "an optional element that's not on until users engage with it"

OK. So. Can you de-install it? That sounds like that somewhat old-fashioned principle of "choice", I know, I apologise....

Oh, and another silly question, sorry, but... does it use resources? You know, the power I pay for? On device storage I need to buy so I can store my family pictures? Bandwidth? So it doesn't cost me any money? Free™ you say? Ah...