---
title: "How to Activate AI in WhatsApp"
description: "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…"
canonical_url: https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/how-to-activate-ai-in-whatsapp
markdown_url: https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/how-to-activate-ai-in-whatsapp.md
last_updated: 2026-09-08
lang: en
site: https://chatfuel.com/docs
llms_txt: https://chatfuel.com/llms.txt
---

# 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…

On WhatsApp, [Fuely AI](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/what-is-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](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/automations), and activating AI means turning on the automations for the sources you want answered.

Before you start, make sure your [WhatsApp number is connected](https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/how-to-connect-a-new-phone-number). If it isn't yet, you can still [configure everything in advance](https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/can-i-test-before-connecting-whatsapp-number) — 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](https://chatfuel.com/docs/instagram/how-to-activate-ai-in-instagram) and [How to activate AI in Facebook](https://chatfuel.com/docs/facebook/how-to-activate-ai-in-facebook) for platform-specific steps.

## Set it up in Automations [#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](https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/is-whatsapp-audio-listening-enabled). 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 [#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 [#fill-the-knowledge-base]

Turning automations on tells the AI *where* to reply; the [Knowledge Base](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/how-to-set-up-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](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/how-to-set-up-ai-the-definitive-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 [#test-your-setup]

Open the automation you enabled and use the **Test chat** sidebar — it [simulates a conversation with exactly that automation's settings](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/how-to-test-your-automation), 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 [#important-notes]

### 24-hour messaging window [#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](https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/how-to-create-whatsapp-templates). See [24-hour messaging window](https://chatfuel.com/docs/whatsapp/24-hour-messaging-window) for full details.

### Human takeover [#human-takeover]

Agents can take over any AI-handled conversation at any time. See [How to stop AI during active conversations](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/how-to-stop-ai-during-active-conversations).