Incognito · 2026
WhatsApp
In May, WhatsApp launched the first truly private AI chatbot with Incognito, generating significant positive media coverage during rollout in test markets.
My role:
brand lead, design strategy, content STO, app leads alignment
Problem
In 2025, WhatsApp started launching features powered by Meta AI. These felt in conflict with the stated privacy promise that no one can see your messages.
How do we give AI users the privacy they expect from WhatsApp?
Process
Pin an entire feature suite to a new encryption technology that backed some, but not all, of WhatsApp's Meta AI features.
2) Define the canonical Meta AI against the more private version
2) Narrative focus: Privacy, persistence, and personalization
Insights
While the encryption technology was heavy and hard to explain, the user promise landed strongly in UXR, Meta and WhatsApp can't see this.
Visual attributes like dark mode and the lock iconography strengthened user confidence.
Outcomes
1) People can talk to Meta AI in a way that's invisible to absolutely everyone.
2) Visual and verbal branding extends across a suite of features, including side chats, writing help, and summarization.
