Built to Last on WhatsApp and Beyond
CEO The Librarian
Many users, partners and investors have asked me about Meta's Oct 15th announcement regarding new restrictions on WhatsApp for general-purpose AI chatbots. So I wanted to share a clear view of what it means for The Librarian, especially since 85% of our 25,000 users primarily use our tool on WhatsApp.
Many users, partners and investors have asked me about Meta’s Oct 15th announcement, regarding new restrictions on WhatsApp for general-purpose AI chatbots. So I wanted to share a clear view of what it means for TheLibrarian.io, especially since 85% of our 25,000 users primarily use our tool on WhatsApp. TLDR, this policy should not affect The Librarian. Here is why, and how we are also building across messaging channels (eg iMessage, SMS).
Why we are not a "general-purpose bot"
- "Executive Assistant in Your Pocket", not a general-purpose chatbot: a workflow-specific assistant that integrates with a company’s internal tools to boost employee productivity. Our core value is automating real work, not open-ended conversation.
- Purpose-built verticals: We focus on professionals who work on the move, like Real Estate and Insurance Agents. These users live in messaging, coordinate constantly, and need reliable task execution, scheduling, follow-ups, and briefs. 3.Enterprise deployments: We are kicking off POCs where companies assign a dedicated phone number for their agents to chat with The Librarian. This aligns with WhatsApp Business workflows and keeps usage clearly scoped to business functions.
Additional chat interfaces so as not to "put all eggs in one basket"
Way before the Meta announcement, we had already started working on additional messaging channels in addition to the existing ones (WhatsApp, Slack, Web):
- iMessage (by Apple) and SMS - to better serve our US customers where WhatsApp is less popular we had already started implementing a new technology from Google called 'RCS' that will allow our users to chat with The Librarian via iMessage (iPhone) and SMS (Android). We are testing it right now and should release it soon.
- Native Android and iOS apps - because some features are easier (eg editing user memories, reliable push notifications) or only possible with an app (eg. GPS location, timezone) we have been working on our own App. We should have a prototype that can be tested in the next couple of weeks.
The above diversity strategy is aligned with our mission of meeting our users wherever they already work and interact with their clients and co-workers. Over time, we plan to support additional channels like Telegram Messenger, LINE, Weixin/WeChat, and others.
What this means for our users and stakeholders
- No disruption expected - Current WhatsApp workflows for business use should continue as normal.
- Clear compliance - We are not a general-purpose bot. We operate within business-specific workflows, with company-scoped numbers for agents in POCs.
- Future-proof access - If any platform changes its rules, your team can still run on Slack, Web and soon on iMessage, SMS, Apps without changing your daily workflow.
Whatever happens, we will keep meeting you where you work, with a privacy-first, workflow-deep assistant that feels like texting your own real Executive Assistant.
(note: If you are interested in beta testing any of the new interfaces mentioned above, ie iMessage, SMS, Android/iOS App just reach out to me.)