WhatsApp's new boss wants it simpler, smarter and shopping-ready

WhatsApp's new development chief Kunal Shah says the app has gotten too complicated, and he wants to strip it back. In a note titled 'My Thoughts 5 Months In' shared Tuesday, Shah said the company will make voice notes, groups, stickers and video 'simpler and more expressive.' He took over leadership of the app's development from Will Cathcart earlier this year.

The scale he's working with is enormous. WhatsApp counts more than 3 billion users, and Shah wrote that people send over 10 billion voice messages and more than 4 billion stickers every day. He described the app as a shared language, saying users 'don't wait for permission' to find new ways to communicate.

Shah also wants to finish what starts in a chat. He said too many tasks — paying a bill, borrowing money, staying connected while travelling — begin in WhatsApp and end with extra steps elsewhere. The company is working with financial services and telecom partners so that bill payment, loans and eSIM purchases feel as easy as sending a message.

AI sits at the center of the plan. Shah said it should 'quietly find what you need, get things done and make sure you never miss a booking or an appointment.' WhatsApp already offers an assistant that summarizes messages and drafts replies. It's unclear whether the company will use its Muse agent to collate information and send reminders.

Shah closed by addressing trust directly, saying it 'takes years to earn and a moment to lose.' Personal messages and calls will stay end-to-end encrypted, he wrote, and the app's simplicity, reliability and privacy principles aren't changing.