While the app has long promised a privacy-first experience free from traditional ads, recent updates suggest that's changing, and changing fast.In a blog post published Monday, WhatsApp announced an expansion of its "Channels" discovery and business tools,

Will Cathcart, head of Meta's subsidiary, announced the launch of WhatsApp channels with subscriptions and advertising. He says the rollout of artificial intelligence does not compromise the privacy of encrypted messaging.

WhatsApp says that users will start seeing ads in some parts of the app, as owner Meta Platforms moves to a cultivate a new revenue stream by tapping the billions of people that use the messaging serv