WhatsApp sharpens its Business play at Mumbai Summit with payments, AI support, and Ads in Status

Messaging giant WhatsApp is doubling down on its role as India’s business backbone. At its second annual Business Summit in Mumbai, the platform announced a slew of updates designed to help enterprises – from kirana stores to airlines – improve sales, streamline support, and connect with consumers in more intuitive ways.

From integrated payments and in-app calling to AI-driven customer support and Ads in Status, the new features underline WhatsApp’s evolution from a personal messaging app into a full-fledged commerce and service ecosystem.

Payments within WhatsApp Business

Small businesses will now be able to share QR codes with a tap and accept payments directly inside WhatsApp, reducing friction for quick sales closures. This secure, in-app payment option could be particularly useful for mom-and-pop shops looking to digitize their transactions without investing in heavy tech infrastructure.

Calls and AI-driven support

Larger businesses can now take calls from customers directly within the app, catering to complex queries where messaging may fall short. Soon, voice notes and even video calls will be part of the support toolkit – a boon for telehealth, travel, or financial services. Adding to this, Business AI solutions will allow scaled, conversational assistance through voice calling.

Ads in Status and centralised campaigns

Meta is also tightening integration across its ecosystem. Businesses can now run coordinated campaigns across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook via Ads Manager, using one creative and shared budgets optimised by Meta’s AI.

On WhatsApp itself, the Updates tab, accessed by 1.5 billion people daily, will soon feature Ads in Status, promoted channels, and even channel subscriptions. Brands like Maruti Suzuki, Air India, Flipkart, and Jio Hotstar are among the early adopters.

Bhuvan Dheer, Executive Director, Marketing, MSIL, said:

“We have been using WhatsApp extensively for driving business growth. Ads on WhatsApp Status will further help us drive discovery and sales of our products and services.”

Air India’s Chief Marketing Officer, Sunil Suresh, added:

“WhatsApp’s new Ads in Status offering aligns with our vision of digital-first transformation. It has the potential to create seamless pathways for immediate customer engagement, bookings, and support — allowing us to deliver tailored travel experiences directly within customers’ daily interactions.”

Small businesses get flexibility

Another significant update is that small businesses can now use both the WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Business Platform simultaneously with the same number. This means they can lean on automation and APIs for high-volume queries while still running day-to-day chats and group interactions via the app.

Citizen services at scale

Beyond commerce, WhatsApp is cementing its role in governance. According to a Kantar 2025 report, 91% of online adults in India already chat with businesses weekly. The app is also being deployed by governments: states like Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are using official chatbots to deliver citizen services.

The Andhra Pradesh government’s “Mana Mitra” chatbot already provides access to over 700 services in multiple languages and has been used by 4 million citizens.

The big picture

Arun Srinivas, Managing Director & Country Head, Meta India, summed it up:

“Every day, businesses of all sizes are leveraging WhatsApp to deliver faster and more impactful customer experiences. With our latest tools and features, we are confident that businesses will unlock stronger ROI, build deeper and more personal connections with customers, and scale successfully.”

He added that beyond businesses, WhatsApp’s simplicity is making it indispensable for daily life — from buying tickets to paying utility bills.

“We are excited that more and more state governments across India are partnering with us to unlock access to essential public services for the people.”

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