You didn’t ask for ads in your RCS chat app, but you’re going to get them anyway

RCS has exploded in popularity ever since iPhones started supporting the communication protocol. Google says that over one billion RCS messages are sent in the US daily, which is most definitely a whole lot. While the RCS platform is excellent, it does need a monetization strategy, which is where RCS Business Messaging comes in. RCS Business Messaging allows businesses to send RCS messages to users, which is great for the business, but it’s still an ad served to the user. While markets like India have long been spammed with RCS ads, it seems users in the US will also be joining in the ad party, whether they like it or not.

A Reddit user posted about receiving an RCS message from the Los Angeles Rams on their iPhone. The messages include a swiping carousel for buying tickets for various games.

While not explicitly confirmed, the swipe-through carousel for upcoming events is similar to the recently announced Clerk Chat partnership launch with Google, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T for RCS Business Messaging, as spotted by PhoneArena. As part of the launch, Clerk Chat is offering businesses the opportunity to reach users through RCS, allowing users to:

• Swipe through carousel displays of upcoming events
• View and make purchases directly within their native messaging app
• Engage with concierge services for personalized information

Of course, no business pitch is complete these days without AI, so Clerk Chat says that adding its AI agents enhances conversion rates over RCS by “personalizing the customer experience in real time.” So, not only are you, as a user, getting ads, but you are getting AI with your ads.

While all of this sounds great for businesses, it eventually does mean more ads for users, now delivered to their messaging app, irrespective of their OS. In the screenshot above, you can’t even spot an easy way to unsubscribe or opt out of the messages, which is a horrible user experience. Some users may enjoy the experience when the ads are served according to their needs and interests. But most of us have had enough experiences with ads and AI to know where this is going.