Meta has activated incognito mode for its artificial intelligence on WhatsApp and the standalone app, an extra layer of privacy that promises to erase the traces of your conversations. The novelty lies in the fact that not even the company itself will be able to spy on what you ask the chatbot, a qualitative leap compared to other alternatives on the market that usually keep records to train their models.
Private Processing: the technical key behind the shield 🛡️
The feature relies on WhatsApp's Private Processing technology, which runs messages within Trusted Execution Environments or TEEs. These isolated hardware environments ensure that data is processed without anyone, not even Meta, being able to access it during or after the conversation. It is an approach similar to end-to-end encryption, but applied to AI computation, preventing queries from being stored or visible to the company.
Incognito mode: what Zuck doesn't want you to know about your questions 🤫
In other words, now you can ask Meta AI if your ex was a mistake without Mark Zuckerberg finding out and bringing it up at Thanksgiving dinner. The irony is that the same company that lives off your data offers you a tool to hide it, like the wolf selling you a bulletproof vest. But hey, at least your queries about cannabis brownie recipes will remain in the strictest secrecy.