Summary
- The European Commission has mandated that Meta restore access to WhatsApp Business tools for competing AI chatbots.
- Meta criticized the ruling as "regulatory overreach" and intends to contest it.
- The ongoing issue stems from Meta's decision to limit WhatsApp AI integrations to its own AI, with possible penalties of up to 10% of global revenue for non-compliance.
On Monday, the European Commission instructed Meta to allow rival AI chatbots access to WhatsApp's business messaging features, intensifying an antitrust dispute that arose when Meta barred competitors from its platform in October, according to Reuters.
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice President of the Commission, stated that these interim measures will remain effective throughout the investigation, which commenced in December 2025. She remarked, "In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted," in a statement.
The directive requires Meta to restore access for third-party general-purpose AI assistants to the WhatsApp Business API, reverting to the terms that were in place prior to the ban.
Meta has labeled the decision as "regulatory overreach," indicating it will appeal. The company expressed in a statement to Reuters, "The European Commission has decided that OpenAI and some of the largest companies in the world can use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free. This is regulatory overreach subsidised by the many European companies that pay. We will appeal."
The Commission's investigation was initiated after Meta altered its policy to permit only Meta AI on WhatsApp, effectively blocking other chatbots from accessing the Business API. This policy change took effect on January 15, although existing AI services had already been disconnected since October of 2025. The inquiry aims to determine if Meta misused its dominant position in European messaging markets by restricting WhatsApp's AI access solely for its own use.
Ribera stressed that the decision "preserved choice for citizens across Europe on the AI assistants they want to use with WhatsApp, without that decision being made for them." Failing to comply could result in fines amounting to 10% of Meta's overall global revenue.
This dispute underscores a larger conflict: AI developers seek distribution on messaging platforms that boast billions of users, while platform owners aim to monetize that access. A recent study by IMDEA Networks Institute revealed that ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Perplexity all transmit user data to third-party trackers, including Meta, Google, and TikTok, even when users opt out. Grok was identified as the most significant violator, with guest conversations being public by default, and TikTok's tracker receiving webcam image metadata.
Meta has five business days to comply with the Commission’s order as it prepares its appeal.