How to Activate AI in WhatsApp

On WhatsApp, Fuely AI starts switched off. Each WhatsApp traffic source — direct messages, ads that click to WhatsApp, posts that click to WhatsApp — has its own automation, and activating AI means turning on the automations for the sources you want answered.

Before you start, make sure your WhatsApp number is connected. If it isn't yet, you can still configure everything in advance — the setup is saved as a draft and goes live the moment the number connects.

Also on Instagram or Facebook? See How to activate AI in Instagram and How to activate AI in Facebook for platform-specific steps.

Set it up in Automations

1. Go to Fuely AI → Automations.
2. Find the WhatsApp channel. It has an automation for each source: direct messages, ads that click to WhatsApp, and posts that click to WhatsApp.
3. Turn on the automations for the sources you want AI to answer. Enable all of them to cover every WhatsApp conversation, or just one — for example, only ads that click to WhatsApp if AI should talk to ad leads and nothing else.

Once direct messages is on, the AI replies to every incoming message, including voice messages. Each automation carries its own settings — reply instructions, delays, working hours, handoff rules — inherited from Main bot until you override them.

Or ask the AI Co-Worker

Tell it what you want in chat:

"Answer all WhatsApp messages" — or, to cover ad leads only, "Only answer WhatsApp leads coming from ads."

It enables the right automations and confirms what it set. You can change this at any time the same way — just say what to start or stop answering.

Fill the Knowledge Base

Turning automations on tells the AI where to reply; the Knowledge Base gives it what to know. Without it, AI can only give generic replies. For a detailed walkthrough of every section, see the definitive AI setup guide.

What to add:

• FAQs — common questions and your preferred answers
• Product or service descriptions — what you sell or offer
• Policies — shipping, returns, working hours, etc.
• Contact details — where to send customers who need human help

The more relevant content you add, the better AI will answer your customers.

Test your setup

Open the automation you enabled and use the Test chat sidebar — it simulates a conversation with exactly that automation's settings, using your real Knowledge Base. Once you're live, you can also message your business number from a personal phone and check that the answers are accurate.

If AI doesn't reply, check that the automation is turned on and that your WhatsApp number is still connected.

Important notes

24-hour messaging window

WhatsApp limits when businesses can message users. Once a contact sends you a message, you have 24 hours to reply freely. After that window closes, you can only reach them using approved message templates. See 24-hour messaging window for full details.

Human takeover

Agents can take over any AI-handled conversation at any time. See How to stop AI during active conversations.