---
title: Chat AI
description: WhatsApp-based ChatGPT bot built by Jan Wilmake in 2023
category: Projects
---

# Chat AI

**Chat AI** was a WhatsApp-based conversational AI bot developed by [[Jan_Wilmake]] in early 2023, built on top of the OpenAI ChatGPT API. It was one of the earliest consumer-facing WhatsApp AI bots at scale, growing from zero to over **4,000 active users** within approximately two months of launch.

## Background

Chat AI emerged from Wilmake's intense interest in AI automation following ChatGPT's public release in November 2022. Recognising that WhatsApp's ubiquitous adoption — particularly in Brazil, Indonesia, and other non-Western markets — made it an ideal distribution channel for AI capabilities, he built a bot bringing conversational AI to users who might not encounter it through web interfaces.

The project was developed in early 2023 during Wilmake's extended stay in Bali, Indonesia.

## Launch and Growth

| Date | Milestone |
|------|-----------|
| February–March 2023 | Development in Bali |
| March 2023 | First paid user acquired |
| March–April 2023 | Growth to 250+ users |
| April–May 2023 | 4,000+ users reached |

## Technical Architecture

Chat AI connected the WhatsApp Business API to the OpenAI ChatGPT API, with a middleware layer handling session management per user/phone number, billing, webhook routing, and rate limiting.

## Legacy

Chat AI's architecture and learnings fed directly into **Zion**, a B2B conversational AI platform Wilmake built subsequently in Brazil (mid-2023), focused on structured guided conversations for enterprise use cases. The experience also informed a core product philosophy: distribution matters as much as capability, and meeting users in existing high-engagement platforms reduces friction dramatically.

## See Also

- [[Jan_Wilmake]]
- [[ActionSchema]]
- [[Screenless]]
- [[Code_From_Anywhere]]