WhatsApp is planning a new AI image editor for iPhone users that can expand photos

Ever taken a photograph and wished you had captured a little more of the background? You can always edit it using a photo-editing app. But what if you could do that directly on WhatsApp? Soon, you might be able to. WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new AI-powered tool that will let users expand their photos without leaving the app. The feature uses Meta AI to extend photographs beyond their original borders before users share them in chats or WhatsApp Status updates.According to WABetaInfo, the feature is now reaching select iPhone users. It uses artificial intelligence to analyse an existing photograph and generate additional visual content around its edges, effectively expanding the image without stretching the original content.How will WhatsApp's AI image expansion tool work?The new feature will be available through WhatsApp's built-in drawing editor. When users select a photograph to share in a chat, the app opens its editing interface. Here, they will find the image expansion option alongside other editing tools and filters. Once users select the option, Meta AI will take a few seconds to analyse the photograph and generate an expanded version. It will add new content around the original image, attempting to make the extended areas look like a natural continuation of the existing scene.According to the report, the expanded photograph will be generated in a vertical 9:16 format. This could be particularly useful for WhatsApp Status updates, which are designed to fill a smartphone's screen. For instance, users will be able to expand a square or landscape photograph to fit the vertical format without leaving empty spaces around it. Users will be able to preview the generated photograph in the drawing editor before sharing it. They will also have control over the final result. If they are unhappy with the AI-generated expansion, they can tap the undo button to restore the original photograph and try generating another version. WhatsApp will not automatically share the edited image.When will the feature be available?According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is gradually rolling out the feature to some beta testers using WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.44.10.16 through Apple's TestFlight programme. Some users running the public version of WhatsApp downloaded from the App Store have also reportedly received access.The feature is not yet available to all iPhone users, and WhatsApp has not announced a wider rollout date. However, availability is expected to expand gradually over the coming weeks.The AI image expansion tool is not limited to iPhones either. WhatsApp has also started introducing it to select Android beta testers through version 2.26.44.8.- Ends