ChatGPT is the most popular AI in the world. WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app. It makes sense to want them together.
The good news: you can use ChatGPT-like AI on WhatsApp right now. The bad news: ChatGPT on WhatsApp can only chat. It cannot browse websites, send emails, book anything, or run tasks on a schedule. It is a conversational AI trapped inside a chat window.
If you just want to ask questions and get answers on WhatsApp, ChatGPT works fine. If you want an AI that actually does things -- an assistant, not a chatbot -- you need something different.
This guide covers how to get ChatGPT on WhatsApp, what it can and cannot do, and what alternatives exist when you need more than conversation.
How to Use ChatGPT on WhatsApp
There are three ways to get ChatGPT (or ChatGPT-like AI) on WhatsApp:
Method 1: Meta AI (Built Into WhatsApp)
WhatsApp now has AI built directly into the app. It is not ChatGPT specifically -- it is Meta's Llama model -- but it works similarly.
How to access it:
- Open WhatsApp
- Look for the Meta AI icon (blue circle) in the search bar or chat list
- Tap it and start chatting
- You can also mention @Meta AI in any group chat
Cost: Free.
What it does:
- Answers questions in real time
- Generates images from text descriptions
- Helps with writing, translation, and brainstorming
- Works in group chats (tag @Meta AI)
- Searches the web for current information
What it does not do:
- Cannot take any action (no browsing, no email, no bookings)
- No scheduled tasks or reminders
- Does not remember you between conversations
- No personalization or learning
- Limited to what Meta's AI model can do
Method 2: Third-Party WhatsApp AI Bots
Several services connect ChatGPT (the actual OpenAI model) to WhatsApp. You message a WhatsApp number, it forwards your message to the ChatGPT API, and sends the response back.
Popular options:
- Shmooz AI -- WhatsApp chatbot powered by GPT-4
- BuddyGPT -- ChatGPT access via WhatsApp
- WhatGPT -- AI assistant for WhatsApp
How they work:
- Save the bot's phone number to your contacts
- Open WhatsApp and message the number
- The bot forwards your message to GPT-4 and returns the response
- Some support voice messages and image generation
Cost: Free tiers with limited messages. Paid plans from $5-$15/month.
What they do:
- Give you ChatGPT access through WhatsApp
- Some support voice-to-text and image generation
- Convenient for quick questions on the go
What they do not do:
- No web browsing (cannot visit websites or fill forms)
- No email (cannot read, draft, or send)
- No scheduled tasks (no background automation)
- No persistence (each conversation may start fresh)
- Limited compared to using ChatGPT directly on openai.com
Method 3: Build Your Own (Technical)
If you are a developer, you can connect the OpenAI API to WhatsApp using tools like n8n, the WhatsApp Cloud API, or Python libraries. (We cover the full WhatsApp automation landscape in a separate guide.)
What you need:
- WhatsApp Business API access (Meta approval required)
- OpenAI API key
- A server to host the integration
- Coding knowledge (Python, JavaScript, or similar)
What you get:
- Full control over the AI's behavior
- Ability to add custom tools and integrations
- Choose any AI model (GPT-4, Claude, Llama, etc.)
What it costs:
- WhatsApp Business API: free for the API itself, but you need hosting
- OpenAI API: usage-based pricing (varies by model -- check openai.com/pricing for current rates)
- Hosting: $5-$50/month depending on provider
- Your time: 10-40+ hours to build and maintain
This approach only makes sense if you enjoy building technical projects. For most people, it is far more effort than the outcome justifies.
What ChatGPT on WhatsApp Can Actually Do
Regardless of which method you use, ChatGPT on WhatsApp is fundamentally a conversational AI. It is great at:
- Answering questions -- "What is the capital of Uruguay?" "Explain quantum computing to a 10-year-old."
- Writing help -- "Draft a birthday message for my mom." "Rewrite this paragraph to sound more professional."
- Brainstorming -- "Give me 10 business name ideas for a dog grooming startup."
- Translation -- "Translate this message to Spanish."
- Summarization -- "Summarize this long article" (paste text into chat).
- Quick research -- "What are the best project management tools for small teams?"
- Math and calculations -- "What is 15% tip on a $73 bill?"
For these tasks, ChatGPT on WhatsApp is excellent. The convenience of doing it in your messaging app instead of opening a browser makes it genuinely useful for daily quick tasks.
What ChatGPT on WhatsApp Cannot Do
Here is where it falls short. These are things you might expect an "AI assistant" on WhatsApp to do, but ChatGPT cannot:
Browse the web for you.
You cannot say "go to [website] and check the price." ChatGPT does not have a browser. It generates text based on its training data. Some versions can search the web, but they summarize search results -- they cannot navigate to a page, click buttons, fill forms, or interact with a website.
Send emails.
You cannot say "email John and tell him I will be late." ChatGPT has no email capability. It can draft an email in the chat, but you copy it and send it yourself.
Book anything.
You cannot say "book a table at [restaurant] for tonight." ChatGPT cannot interact with booking systems. It can tell you how to book, but it cannot do it.
Run scheduled tasks.
You cannot say "check this every morning and send me an update." ChatGPT only works when you are actively chatting. There is no background process, no cron scheduling, no recurring automation.
Remember your preferences.
Basic WhatsApp integrations do not persist memory between conversations. Each time you message, the AI starts fresh. (ChatGPT Plus on the web does have memory, but most WhatsApp integrations do not).
Take action.
The fundamental limitation: ChatGPT talks. It does not do. It is a brilliant conversation partner, but it is not an assistant. An assistant does things on your behalf.
When ChatGPT on WhatsApp Is Not Enough
If you find yourself doing any of these, you have outgrown ChatGPT on WhatsApp:
- Asking ChatGPT to draft an email, then copying it into Gmail yourself
- Asking for restaurant recommendations, then going to the restaurant's website to book yourself
- Wishing you could say "just do it" instead of getting instructions on how to do it
- Wanting the AI to check something every hour without you prompting it each time
- Sending the same kind of request every day and wishing it would just run automatically
The pattern: you are using a chatbot as a middleman when you want a direct-action assistant. You are the middleware.
The Alternative: An AI That Actually Does Things on WhatsApp
ClawBox is built for exactly this gap. It is a personal AI assistant on WhatsApp (and Telegram) that goes beyond conversation:
It has its own browser.
Say "check if [restaurant] has availability tonight" and it visits the website, checks the booking page, and reports back. Say "check every 30 minutes" and it monitors the page on a schedule. One user's AI booked a restaurant at 2:47 AM when a cancellation opened up -- they woke up to a confirmation message.
It has its own email inbox.
Forward an email thread to your AI's inbox. Say "draft a reply declining the meeting, suggest next week." The AI drafts and sends from its own email address. Your personal email stays private.
It runs scheduled tasks.
"Every morning at 8, send me a summary of the top Hacker News stories." "Monitor this price page every 2 hours and alert me if it drops." "Every Friday, draft a weekly summary email." These run automatically in the background.
It uses Claude, not ChatGPT.
ClawBox is powered by Anthropic's Claude -- an AI model known for nuance, safety, and following complex instructions accurately. Claude is often better than ChatGPT at tasks requiring careful reasoning and multi-step instructions.
Side-by-Side
Feature | ChatGPT on WhatsApp | ClawBox on WhatsApp |
|---|---|---|
AI model | GPT-4 (via third-party) or Llama (Meta AI) | Anthropic Claude |
Conversation | Yes | Yes |
Browse websites | No | Yes (dedicated browser) |
Send emails | No | Yes (dedicated inbox) |
Book restaurants | No | Yes |
Scheduled tasks | No | Yes (full cron scheduling) |
Memory / context | Limited | Persistent across conversations |
Your WhatsApp number | Third-party: separate number. Meta AI: built-in | Your personal number (QR code) |
Dedicated server | No (shared API) | Yes (isolated, encrypted) |
Setup | Instant (Meta AI) or save a number | 2 minutes |
Cost | Free - $15/mo | $49/mo |
Which Should You Use?
Use ChatGPT on WhatsApp (Meta AI) if:
- You want free, quick AI chat on WhatsApp
- You mainly need answers, writing help, and brainstorming
- You do not need the AI to take any real-world actions
- The convenience of "it is already there" matters most
Use a third-party ChatGPT WhatsApp bot if:
- You specifically want GPT-4 (not Meta's Llama model)
- You want slightly better responses than Meta AI
- You are okay paying $5-$15/month for a text-only AI on WhatsApp
Use ClawBox if:
- You want an AI that does things, not just talks
- You need web browsing, email, and scheduled task automation
- You want to delegate real tasks from your phone
- You are willing to pay $49/month for an AI assistant that works for you 24/7
The difference between ChatGPT on WhatsApp and ClawBox on WhatsApp is the difference between a search engine and a secretary. One gives you information. The other handles tasks. (See our full AI personal assistant comparison for more options.)
Get your AI assistant on WhatsApp -- set up in under 2 minutes. $49/month. 100% refund if it does not blow your mind.