How does a WhatsApp AI agent work?

A WhatsApp AI agent is software that replies to customers on your WhatsApp business number in plain language. Unlike a menu-based chatbot, it understands what people type, so it can handle "Do you have a 2BHK under 80 lakh near the metro?" as easily as "Price?". For sales teams its main job is simple: make sure no lead waits for a first reply, and pass the promising ones to a person with context.

How it works, step by step

1. A message arrives. Your number is connected to the WhatsApp Business API. When a customer writes, the message reaches the agent within seconds.
2. It reads the context. The agent sees the message, earlier chat history and, if the lead came from an ad, which ad it was.
3. It answers from your knowledge. You give it your services, price ranges, branches, timings and common questions. It replies in short WhatsApp-style messages, using only that information.
4. It qualifies. It asks the questions your team always asks, such as budget, area, timeline or product interest, and saves the answers on the lead.
5. It hands over. When the lead asks for a person, mentions a trigger like "visit" or "price", or reaches a qualification level, the chat moves to the owner with a summary.

WhatsApp rules it works within

• The 24-hour window. The agent can send free-form replies only while the customer service window is open, which is 24 hours from the customer's last message. After that, any message must be an approved template.
• A path to a human. WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy allows automation in the 24-hour window and asks for prompt, clear escalation paths.
• Platform terms. Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform terms prohibit providers whose primary offering is the AI technology itself. An agent that serves your own customers, through your solution provider, is the intended use.
• Opt-in. The agent should reply to people who messaged you, and should not start conversations with people who did not opt in.

What it costs to run

Two costs apply. The provider charges for the agent software. Meta charges for messages: the agent's replies inside the window are service messages, with 1,000 free per business number each month and charges after that from 1 October 2026. When a lead comes from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad and gets a reply within 24 hours, messages in the free entry point window that follows are free for up to 7 days. Meta's own Business Agent is billed as a separate message category.

Setting one up well

• Start with your 20 most common questions and honest answers.
• Decide what it must never do, such as quote a final price or give medical advice.
• Choose when it runs: only after hours, only for new leads, or all the time.
• Read handover summaries weekly and fill gaps in its knowledge.
• Let it introduce itself as an assistant; do not have it pretend to be a person.

How salestrack helps

The salestrack AI sales agent, included on the Growth plan, greets new WhatsApp leads, answers from the knowledge you add, asks your qualifying questions and saves the answers to lead fields. Hot leads go to the owner's inbox with an AI summary and a notification. You can run it only after hours or all the time, and combine it with ready-made chatbots and workflows for structured steps such as bookings. Meta's message charges come from your prepaid WhatsApp wallet. See pricing.