What is Meta Business Agent?

Meta's own AI agent for businesses. It answers customers on WhatsApp from knowledge and instructions you set, and hands over to your team when needed.

Why does it need Meta Direct in Arino One?

The agent is configured on your own Meta App and WhatsApp Business account. In Arino One that is the Meta Direct connection; numbers on other providers use Arino One's own AI instead.

Is every business eligible?

No. Meta lists excluded verticals (such as finance, government and health), country limits and verification requirements.

Can my team take over a conversation?

Yes. Your platform can take control of a thread by sending a message and release it back to the agent afterwards.

Meta Business Agent, Explained

Meta now offers its own AI agent that answers customers on WhatsApp. Here is what it does, who can use it, how it fits with Arino One, and when a person should step in.

In Short
Meta Business Agent answers WhatsApp chats from your content. It runs on numbers managed through Meta's Cloud API, which in Arino One means Meta Direct. Hand over to a person for complaints, payments and anything the agent isn't sure of.

What It Is

Meta introduced Meta Business Agent in June 2026 as AI that answers questions, recommends products, books appointments, qualifies leads and lets you decide when a team member steps in (Meta Newsroom). You give it knowledge (business details, FAQs, websites, files), skills that set its tone, and optional connections to your own systems (Meta for Developers).

Who Can Use It

According to Meta, a number is eligible when its WhatsApp Business account:

is in a supported vertical — finance, government, health, alcohol, gambling, over-the-counter drugs and matrimony services are excluded;
uses the Cloud API, not the WhatsApp Business app;
is in good standing and meets Meta's verification requirements;
belongs to a business in an eligible country;
doesn't already run a conflicting messaging product on that number.

Source: (Meta Business Agent overview)

Meta Direct Only

In Arino One, Meta Business Agent is available on WhatsApp numbers connected with Meta Direct, because it is set up on your own Meta App. Numbers on Infobip or Twilio use Arino One's AI Concierge instead. You can run both in one platform on different numbers.

When to Hand Over

While the agent is answering, your platform can follow the chat without replying, take control at any time by sending a message, and give control back afterwards (Meta for Developers). Good moments to hand over:

the customer asks for a person, or is upset;
complaints, refunds and payment problems;
anything legal, medical or financial;
the agent has answered twice without resolving the question.

See Handing Over to a Person and Meta Business Agent (help).