# WhatsApp AI chatbot and assistant > We build WhatsApp AI chatbots and assistants that answer routine messages, collect enquiry details and prepare replies, within Meta's rules and with a person in charge of anything that matters. Source: https://www.fyadvisers.com/services/whatsapp-ai-chatbot/ Author: FYAdvisers Last updated: 2026-10-13 A WhatsApp AI chatbot for a Singapore business runs on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform, answers routine messages from your own approved information, collects enquiry details, and hands the conversation to a person when judgement is needed. FYAdvisers builds WhatsApp AI chatbots and assistants for small and mid-sized businesses in Singapore, and connects them to the CRM, calendar and records you already use. We design them so your team stays in charge of anything sent that carries a price, a promise or advice. For website chat and email, see our page on [AI chatbots and customer service automation](/services/ai-chatbots/). ## What we build ### Customer-facing WhatsApp chatbot A chatbot on your business number that answers common questions, asks follow-up questions to understand what the customer needs, and records the enquiry in your CRM. When the conversation needs a person, it says so, notifies the right team member and passes on a summary. ### Staff-facing WhatsApp assistant Sometimes the better design keeps the AI behind the scenes. The assistant reads incoming conversations, groups them, pulls out the details and drafts replies, and a person decides what to send. ### Connections to your systems The chatbot or assistant can look up records, create leads, book appointments and log conversations, through [system integration](/services/system-integration/) with your CRM and other tools. Our [CRM implementation](/services/crm-implementation/) work covers the CRM side. ## An example from our work For [an individual PropNex property agent](/work/propnex-agent/), we built a workspace that connects to the agent's WhatsApp conversations. Related chats are grouped into deals. AI extracts the people involved, the deal details, outstanding items and follow-up flags. It prepares context-aware reply drafts and English to Chinese translations, and offers Google Calendar tools for appointments. Every reply draft stays with the agent to review and send. ## How the WhatsApp Business Platform works These points come from Meta's own developer documentation, policies and terms, checked in October 2026. Meta changes them from time to time, so we check again at the start of each project. ### Access and Business Solution Providers Businesses connect to the platform through Meta's Cloud API, either directly or through a Business Solution Provider (BSP). BSPs such as respond.io and WATI provide an inbox, broadcast tools and often their own AI features, and charge a subscription on top of Meta's message fees. respond.io's pricing page states that WhatsApp fees are not included in its plans. A direct Cloud API connection avoids the BSP subscription, but you build or host the inbox and logic yourself. ### Opt-in Meta's WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy says a business may message people only if it has their phone number and their opt-in permission. The opt-in must clearly state that the person is agreeing to receive messages from your business, and must name your business. You choose the method, such as a website form, SMS or a signed document, and you must also follow local law. In Singapore, that includes the PDPA. ### Template messages Template messages are pre-defined messages, categorised as marketing, utility or authentication. Meta's documentation says they are the only messages that can reach a user outside an open customer service window. Meta reviews each template when it is created or edited, which can take up to 24 hours, and only approved templates can be sent. Templates can later be paused or disabled based on customer feedback and quality signals. ### The customer service window When a customer messages you, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Within it, your chatbot can send free-form replies, which Meta's documentation states are free. After it closes, you can send only templates. ### Pricing Since 1 July 2025, Meta has charged per delivered template message, based on the template category and the recipient's country calling code. Meta's documentation lists Singapore with its own market-specific rates and volume tiers from 1 July 2026, with SGD available as a billing currency from 1 April 2026. Meta changes rates only on the first day of a quarter and publishes rate cards on its developer site. Check the current Singapore rate card before you budget. ### AI on WhatsApp Meta's terms for the WhatsApp Business Platform, last modified on 23 September 2026, restrict AI providers from offering AI technology as the primary functionality on the platform. AI that is incidental or ancillary to the business is outside that restriction. The terms also say that if you use an AI provider as your solution provider, WhatsApp data may not be used to train or improve its models, beyond fine-tuning a model for your exclusive use. A chatbot that serves your own customers about your own business fits the incidental case, but Meta decides how its terms apply. ## Typical uses for Singapore businesses - **Enquiry intake.** Collect requirements, location and timing, then route to the right salesperson, with [speed to lead](/services/speed-to-lead/) alerts. - **Appointment booking.** Offer available slots, confirm the booking and send a utility template reminder. - **Status updates.** Look up an order, job or application and reply with the current status. - **Bilingual replies.** Draft and translate replies for staff who work across English and Chinese. - **Deal context for sales staff.** Summarise long threads and list what is still outstanding before the next reply. ## How a project runs 1. **Discovery.** We read a sample of real WhatsApp conversations, agree which messages the chatbot handles and which go to a person, and decide on direct Cloud API or a BSP. 2. **Prototype with your real data.** We test the AI on past conversations, with personal details removed where we can, and compare its answers with what your team actually sent. 3. **Build.** We set up the number, templates, opt-in capture, AI logic and connections to your systems. 4. **Human review.** Your team reviews drafts or live answers for an agreed period, and anything involving price, availability or commitments stays with a person. 5. **Monitoring.** We log conversations, handovers and template performance, and refine the instructions and sources as edge cases appear. ## What it costs There are usually three parts: Meta's per-message fees for templates, a BSP subscription if you use one, and AI model usage. respond.io's pricing page, for example, lists plans from US$79 a month billed yearly, with WhatsApp fees on top. WATI's pricing page says message charges are added to its plans based on its rate card. AI model costs depend on the model and the volume of text. A one-off build covers setup, connections and testing. Our [AI chatbot cost guide](/blog/ai-chatbot-cost-singapore/) sets out the published figures we checked. We outline the cost of our own work after a conversation about scope. ## Data and governance WhatsApp conversations often contain names, numbers and personal details, so the PDPA applies. PDPC's [Advisory Guidelines on Use of Personal Data in AI Recommendation and Decision Systems](https://www.pdpc.gov.sg/-/media/files/pdpc/pdf-files/advisory-guidelines/advisory-guidelines-on-the-use-of-personal-data-in-ai-recommendation-and-decision-systems.pdf), issued on 1 March 2024, cover consent, notification and accountability when AI uses personal data. IMDA and the AI Verify Foundation's [Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI](https://aiverifyfoundation.sg/resources/mgf-gen-ai/), released on 30 May 2024, is a useful checklist for testing and transparency. We agree with you what the chatbot tells customers, which AI provider processes the messages, what is stored and for how long. ## Build or buy If you mainly need a shared WhatsApp inbox, broadcasts and simple automated replies, a BSP platform such as respond.io or WATI may be enough on its own. A custom build makes sense when the chatbot must read from or write to your own systems, follow your own handover rules, or support a staff-facing assistant like the deal workspace above. Often the answer is a BSP for the channel with custom logic behind it. ## Who this suits - Businesses whose customers already prefer WhatsApp to email or web forms. - Sales teams juggling many parallel conversations where details get lost. - Teams working in more than one language. ## What to prepare - A sample of real conversations, with personal details removed. - Your current WhatsApp setup: app, BSP or Cloud API, and which number. - How customers currently opt in to hear from you. - The messages you would like to send first, such as reminders or follow-ups. - Who on your team will review drafts and handle handovers. [Get in touch](/#contact) and we will suggest whether a chatbot, a staff-facing assistant or a simpler setup fits best. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need the WhatsApp Business API for an AI chatbot? For automated replies at business scale, yes. Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform, accessed through the Cloud API either directly or through a Business Solution Provider, is the route for connecting your own systems and AI. The free WhatsApp Business app offers simpler tools such as greeting messages and quick replies. ### How is WhatsApp Business Platform messaging charged? Since 1 July 2025, Meta has charged per delivered template message, with the rate depending on the template category and the recipient's country. Meta's developer documentation states that non-template messages sent within an open 24-hour customer service window are free, as are utility templates sent within that window. Solution providers charge their own subscription on top. ### Can the chatbot message customers first? Only with a Meta-approved template, and only to people who have opted in to hear from your business. Meta's policy requires the opt-in to name your business and make clear that the person is agreeing to receive messages from it. ### Does Meta allow AI chatbots on WhatsApp? Meta's terms for the WhatsApp Business Platform restrict AI providers from offering AI technology as the primary functionality, while AI that is incidental or ancillary to your business is outside that restriction. A chatbot that answers your customers about your own products and services is the second kind. Meta decides how the terms apply, so check the current terms before launch. ### Will the AI reply to customers without anyone checking? Only where you decide the risk is low, such as confirming receipt or answering opening hours. By default we design the assistant to draft replies that a person reviews, and anything involving price, availability or commitments goes to your team.