WhatsApp Reaches 3 Billion Monthly Active Users
WhatsApp now boasts over 3 billion monthly active users, as revealed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company's Q1 2025 earnings call. This milestone makes WhatsApp one of the few apps to achieve such massive user engagement, alongside Facebook.
WhatsApp's Role in Meta's AI Strategy
This substantial user base makes WhatsApp crucial for Meta's AI initiatives. The platform serves as a primary distribution channel for Meta's AI services, with strong user engagement in one-on-one chats, according to Meta CFO Susan Li.
While WhatsApp facilitates easy access to AI features in many markets, Meta faces challenges in the U.S., where many users prefer default messaging apps. To address this, Meta launched a standalone AI app to compete in the U.S. market.
We hope to become the leader over time [in the U.S. messaging market]... the Meta AI app as a standalone is going to be particularly important in the United States...But we’re going to keep on advancing the experiences across the board in all of these different areas.
- Mark Zuckerberg
WhatsApp Business Fuels Revenue Growth
WhatsApp Business, the platform's business-focused offering, contributed significantly to the $510 million generated by Meta's family of apps. Meta is actively developing AI tools for WhatsApp Business, including an AI agent management interface and dashboard. This will enable businesses to train Meta's AI on their data, including website content, WhatsApp profiles, and Instagram and Facebook pages. Meta is also testing AI chatbot integration for customer interactions within WhatsApp Business.
The growth of WhatsApp to over 3 billion users since hitting 2 billion in 2020 highlights its continued global impact and its importance to Meta's overall strategy.
