WhatsApp’s AI-powered photo expansion tool starts rolling out on iOS

WhatsApp's AI-powered photo expansion tool, called Extend, is now available for select iPhone users. This feature, developed by Meta AI, allows users to pinch or drag to expand an image beyond its original borders within the app's photo editor. The tool is part of Apple Intelligence, which also powers AI chatbots like ChatGPT and image-editing platforms like Photoshop.

Currently, the tool is only accessible to a limited number of users, primarily those in WhatsApp's beta program via TestFlight. When a user selects a photo in their chats, WhatsApp opens the drawing editor, where they can choose to apply the AI effect to enhance the image. Among the options, users can now find a new option to expand their photos.

Once selected, Meta AI analyzes the photo and generates the expanded version within a few seconds. The expanded photo is then displayed in the drawing editor, and users have the option to send it. This feature also works with status updates. If users are unsatisfied with the result, they can use an undo button to revert to the original image and try again.

While the exact timeline for a broader rollout remains uncertain, the feature has already been tested in the Android beta and is available to some users on the public iOS version.