How to integrate Autogen GroupChat with WhatsApp API for chatbot interactions?

[HumbertoFelipe]

I'm developing an application that utilizes Autogen GroupChat and I want to integrate it with the WhatsApp API so that WhatsApp acts as the client input. The idea is to have messages sent by users on WhatsApp processed as human input in the GroupChat, allowing for a seamless conversational flow between the user and the configured agents in Autogen.

Here are the project requirements:

• Autogen GroupChat: I have a GroupChat setup in Autogen where multiple agents interact and process responses.
• WhatsApp API: I want to use the WhatsApp API (official or an alternative like Twilio) so that WhatsApp serves as the end-user input point.
• Human input processing: Messages sent by the user on WhatsApp should be recognized as human input by the GroupChat, and the agents' responses need to be sent back to the user on WhatsApp.

Technical specifications:

1. How can I capture the WhatsApp message and transform it into input for Autogen GroupChat?
2. What would be the best way to handle user sessions to ensure the GroupChat is synchronized with the WhatsApp conversation flow?
3. Any practical examples or recommended libraries for integrating Autogen with the WhatsApp API?
4. How can I ensure that transitions between agents in the GroupChat are properly reflected in the interaction with the user via WhatsApp?

I'm looking for suggestions, libraries, or even practical examples of how to effectively connect these two systems (Autogen GroupChat and WhatsApp API).

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

[ekzhu]

Dear @HumbertoFelipe, we don't have existing examples for this integration and I have never used WhatsApp API. Based on what you are writing, you might be able to follow the group chat demonstration in the v0.4 documentation: https://microsoft.github.io/autogen/dev/user-guide/core-user-guide/design-patterns/group-chat.html, as well as the handoff/swarm example: https://microsoft.github.io/autogen/dev/user-guide/core-user-guide/design-patterns/handoffs.html

How can I capture the WhatsApp message and transform it into input for Autogen GroupChat?

You will need to figure out how to use the WhatsApp API to capture the message, once you have the data, you can publish the message using runtime.publish_message.

What would be the best way to handle user sessions to ensure the GroupChat is synchronized with the WhatsApp conversation flow?

Create a UserAgent that participates inside the group chat, upon receiving a message in the agent, send it over to the WhatsApp API toward the user. Upon receiving a message from WhatsApp, publish the message as a group chat message to the group chat.

Any practical examples or recommended libraries for integrating Autogen with the WhatsApp API?

I recommend take a look into the v0.4 API doc and the examples above.

How can I ensure that transitions between agents in the GroupChat are properly reflected in the interaction with the user via WhatsApp?

Do you want the user to see different personas or just the same persona? You can configure this by customizing the group chat message type to include sender of each message.

[HumbertoFelipe]

Thank you so much, @ekzhu, for your detailed response! I truly appreciate the guidance and the resources you've provided. I'll try implementing the suggestions you mentioned, especially focusing on how to capture the WhatsApp messages and use runtime.publish_message for integration with the Autogen GroupChat. After I make some progress, I'll definitely return with the results or further questions. Thanks again for your support!

[ekzhu]

You are welcome.