The European Commission has launched a formal antitrust probe into Meta following the company’s decision to restrict third-party AI chatbots from operating on WhatsApp while continuing to offer its own Meta AI assistant on the platform. Regulators say the move could unfairly limit access for competing AI developers across the European Economic Area by preventing them from reaching users through one of the region’s most widely used messaging apps.
WhatsApp updated its Business API policies in October to prohibit general-purpose AI chatbots such as those from OpenAI, Perplexity, and Poke, with enforcement beginning in January. AI-powered customer service tools used by businesses will remain permitted, but standalone consumer chatbots are barred from distribution through the API.
The Commission says it will determine whether Meta’s policy violates EU competition rules and whether swift action is needed to avoid lasting harm to the emerging AI market. Penalties could include fines of up to 10% of Meta’s global annual revenue and corrective measures to restore competitive access. Meta has rejected the allegations, arguing that alternative channels remain available for rival chatbot providers.
