After killing encrypted DMs, Mark Zuckerberg wants you to trust his new encrypted AI chat

At a glance:

• Meta launched Incognito Chat for its AI chatbot on WhatsApp and the Meta AI app, promising end-to-end encrypted, temporary conversations that even Meta cannot read.
• The feature relies on WhatsApp’s Private Processing technology introduced last year, and will roll out in the coming months alongside a side-panel tool called Sidechat.
• The announcement comes less than a week after Meta removed end-to-end encrypted DM support on Instagram, directing users to WhatsApp instead.

What is Incognito Chat and how does it work?

Meta on Wednesday unveiled Incognito Chat, a new mode for interacting with its AI chatbot that the company says is “truly private.” The feature is available on WhatsApp and the standalone Meta AI app, allowing users to discuss sensitive topics such as health, finances, or career advice without worrying that Meta or anyone else can eavesdrop. “Other apps have introduced incognito-style modes, but they can still see the questions coming in and the answers going out. Incognito Chat with Meta AI is truly private, meaning no one — not even Meta — can read your conversations,” the company said in a blog post.

The system builds on WhatsApp’s Private Processing technology, which Meta introduced last year to enable optional AI privacy features. When a user starts an Incognito Chat, their messages are encrypted and processed in a secure environment that Meta claims it cannot access. Conversations are not saved by default and disappear on their own after the session ends. This architecture is designed to prevent anyone — including Meta employees or external attackers — from viewing the content of the chat.

Sidechat: a less disruptive way to use AI in group chats

Alongside Incognito Chat, Meta teased a second feature called Sidechat, which also uses Private Processing technology. Sidechat lets users privately invoke Meta AI within an existing WhatsApp conversation without interrupting the main chat thread. For example, a user could ask Meta AI to summarize a conversation or answer a question about the discussion, and the AI’s response would appear only to the person who asked, not to the whole group. The feature aims to keep the primary conversation flowing while still giving participants access to AI assistance.

The timing: a contrast with Instagram’s encrypted DM removal

The rollout of Incognito Chat comes less than a week after Meta ended support for end-to-end encrypted direct messages on Instagram. The company confirmed on an Instagram support page that encrypted messaging would no longer be available after May 8, and advised users to save any media or messages they wanted to keep before the change. A Meta spokesperson told PCMag that the decision was made because “very few people were opting in to end-to-end encrypted messaging in DMs.” The spokesperson added that users who want to keep using end-to-end encryption “can easily do that on WhatsApp.”

The juxtaposition has not gone unnoticed. Meta is simultaneously removing a privacy feature from one of its flagship apps while aggressively promoting a new one on another platform. Critics argue that the move undermines user trust, especially given that Meta’s history on privacy has been checkered. The company, however, frames the decision as a streamlining effort: Instagram’s encrypted DMs were rarely used, while WhatsApp already has billions of users relying on its default end-to-end encryption for messaging.

What this means for users and privacy advocates

For regular users, Incognito Chat offers a novel way to interact with an AI assistant without leaving a permanent trail. The disappearing messages and cryptographic protections could appeal to those who are cautious about sharing personal data with large tech companies. However, skeptics point out that the feature is entirely optional and that Meta’s broader data collection practices remain unchanged. The company still collects metadata about who chats with whom, when, and for how long, even if the content of Incognito Chats is supposedly inaccessible.

Privacy advocates may also question the technical claims. While Meta asserts that even the company cannot read the conversations, independent audits or open-source transparency would be needed to fully verify that promise. The architecture relies on WhatsApp’s Private Processing technology, which itself has not been subject to extensive public scrutiny. For now, users who want the strongest guarantees will likely stick with Signal or other open-source encrypted messaging apps.

Rollout and availability

Incognito Chat is expected to roll out on WhatsApp and the Meta AI app in the coming months. Meta has not provided an exact date or a list of supported regions. The feature will likely be available worldwide where WhatsApp and Meta AI are already present. Sidechat will follow a similar timeline. Users interested in trying the feature early may need to watch for app updates or sign up for beta programs.

Looking ahead: Meta’s AI privacy strategy

Meta is betting that privacy-focused AI features can differentiate its chatbot from competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, which store conversation history by default. By offering a truly private mode, Meta hopes to attract users who are wary of their data being used for training or targeted advertising. Yet the company’s inconsistent track record — removing encryption on one service while adding it on another — may leave many feeling skeptical. The next few months will show whether users embrace Incognito Chat or view it as a publicity stunt.