An intelligent agent connected to a business's WhatsApp via the official Business API, answering customers from the business's own information and escalating within configured rules.
WhatsApp is where South African customers already are, so the WhatsApp AI agent is the delivery vehicle for most of the “AI employee” category locally.
It runs on the official WhatsApp Business API — the compliant path. Unofficial automation (WhatsApp Web session tools) violates WhatsApp's terms and risks a banned number.
What it can do depends on configuration: answer, qualify, capture, book, follow up, escalate. What it can't do is know the business better than the knowledge it was given.
South Africa's WhatsApp-first culture makes this the most important agent category locally. The compliant path — the official Business API — is non-negotiable: unofficial tools risk a banned number, and your WhatsApp number is your business front door.