EU warns Meta it may force WhatsApp to open up to rival AI chatbots
The European Commission sent Meta a statement of objections over a WhatsApp policy that limits access for third-party AI assistants, and said it is weighing interim measures to prevent “serious and irreparable” harm to competition. The dispute centers on a Jan. 15 change that effectively left only Meta AI available through WhatsApp business tools.
WhatsApp has become one of the main places where businesses talk to customers. That makes it valuable real estate for AI assistants that want to answer questions, handle support, and automate sales chats.
EU competition officials say Meta shut the door on those rivals.
On Monday, the European Commission said it sent Meta a statement of objections laying out a preliminary view that the company is breaking EU antitrust rules by restricting AI competitors on WhatsApp. The Commission also said it intends to consider interim measures while the investigation continues, arguing there is a risk of “serious and irreparable” harm if the market tips too far before a final decision.
EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the goal is to protect competition in a fast-growing market for AI assistants, and that interim steps are meant to keep rivals from being pushed out while the case is still being argued.
The dispute traces back to a policy Meta implemented on Jan. 15. Regulators say the updated terms effectively left only Meta’s own assistant, Meta AI, available through the WhatsApp Business API, the software tools that let businesses connect services to WhatsApp at scale. Meta argues that view overstates WhatsApp’s importance as a distribution channel. A company spokesperson said people have plenty of AI options through app stores, devices, websites, and partnerships.
This is not the first time the policy has drawn scrutiny. In December, the Commission opened a formal antitrust investigation into Meta new rules for AI providers and WhatsApp business tools, warning it could limit third-party assistants in the European Economic Area.
The Commission move also mirrors pressure in Italy, where the national competition authority had already stepped in over the same issue, prompting Meta to carve out an exemption for Italian phone numbers.
Next comes the process. Meta can respond to the objections, and the Commission will decide whether interim measures are warranted. Even before a final ruling, the threat of a rapid, temporary order raises the stakes for how Meta rolls out AI features inside one of the world’s most widely used messaging apps.
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