WhatsApp is developing a new label that would let Channel admins flag media created or edited with AI. WABetaInfo found the feature in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.31.1, but it is still under development and is not available to beta testers.
The label would give followers a visible warning when a Channel update contains AI-generated media. For now, it appears to be a manual disclosure tool rather than a system that automatically detects AI content.
How the AI content label would work
After posting an update, a Channel admin would press and hold the message, open the context menu, and select Add AI content label. A visible label would then appear on the message bubble. The report says admins may not be able to remove it once added.
The option is expected to cover images, videos, and other media created or edited with any AI tool, not only Meta AI. Text appears to be treated differently: WABetaInfo says AI-assisted writing, including text drafted with WhatsApp’s Writing Help feature, may not require the same label.
That distinction matters because WhatsApp Channels are one-way broadcasts used by creators, organizations, and businesses to reach large groups of followers. A clear label could help people judge realistic images or videos without leaving the update.
A public rollout is not confirmed
WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is also working on the feature for iPhone, although the current evidence comes from the Android beta. WhatsApp has not announced the label, confirmed where it will be required, or given a release date.
The timing follows the EU AI Act becoming generally applicable on August 2. Article 50 of the law includes disclosure rules for certain AI-generated or manipulated media. WABetaInfo says WhatsApp is building the label to help Channel admins meet legal requirements in some countries, but WhatsApp has not publicly tied the feature to a specific regulation.
The reported workflow also mirrors the paid-partnership labels used for sponsored Channel updates. WhatsApp has already expanded the Updates tab with promoted Channels and Status ads, so the AI label would extend its disclosure tools beyond advertising.
Nothing changes for users yet. If WhatsApp moves the feature into testing, its first rollout should clarify which media needs a label, whether admins can remove one, and whether availability depends on local law.
