Sophie Blake
WhatsApp has crossed the 3 billion monthly active user threshold, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced during the company’s Q1 earnings call on Wednesday. This milestone makes WhatsApp one of only a few apps—alongside Facebook—to reach that scale globally.
Originally launched in 2009 and acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $19 billion, WhatsApp has grown steadily without using ads or charging users. The app previously reached 2 billion monthly users in 2020, and the latest increase reinforces its role as a foundational part of Meta’s ecosystem.
The growing user base has made WhatsApp a central platform in Meta’s AI ambitions. CFO Susan Li said WhatsApp is currently the company’s leading channel for Meta AI engagement, primarily through one-on-one chat experiences. Meta has been actively integrating its AI tools into messaging to capitalize on this scale.
Meta is also expanding its AI offerings for businesses. The company revealed it’s testing a new interface that allows businesses to train Meta AI using information from their websites, WhatsApp profiles, and linked Instagram or Facebook pages. AI-powered customer support through chat is also being piloted. These tools are part of the WhatsApp Business platform, which played a key role in generating $510 million in revenue across Meta’s family of apps.
While WhatsApp dominates globally, its influence in the U.S. remains limited. Zuckerberg acknowledged the platform’s relatively low adoption domestically, where users still favor native SMS apps. To address this, Meta recently launched a separate Meta AI app, designed to establish a foothold in the U.S. messaging market and position Meta as a leader in personal AI services.
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