Meta announced that developers and businesses can now delegate much of the WhatsApp Business setup process to third-party AI agents by chatting with them. The change accompanies news of Meta’s new AI-focused subscription plans and aims to reduce the need to switch among multiple configuration tools.
WhatsApp Business Tools MCP connects agents to the platform
The capability is enabled by the WhatsApp Business Tools MCP, an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that links AI coding agents directly to the WhatsApp Business Platform. Meta described MCP servers as a way to let agents interact securely with services, and said this new server expands its existing MCP lineup beyond those for ads and app configuration monitoring.
Meta named specific agents that can be connected, including Claude, Cursor, Codex, or ChatGPT. The company also noted that other technology firms offer MCP servers for similar integrations, listing PayPal, Stripe, GitHub, Notion, Slack, Salesforce, Atlassian, X, Google, Microsoft, and others.
What the AI agent can do
According to Meta, an AI agent can perform a range of setup and management tasks that previously required switching among tools such as the Developer Console, Meta’s Business Manager, the API reference, and the editor. Tasks cited by the company include creating a WhatsApp Business account, adding and verifying a phone number, registering the business for access to the Cloud API, and checking compliance with Terms of Service.
Meta said businesses can also ask an agent to write or edit messaging templates, test messages and webhooks, and monitor configuration items that might fail silently, such as payment method status and Business Verification.
During setup and configuration, Meta Social Technologies MCP can also be used to discover API endpoints, search documentation, and help troubleshoot errors, the company noted.
Original source: TechCrunch AI