WHATSAPP'S LIMITS ON THIRD-PARTY AI SPARK EU ANTITRUST PROBE

The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into WhatsApp's latest artificial intelligence policy, setting up a regulatory confrontation over whether Meta is unfairly restricting access to its messaging platform.

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The case centers on new terms that govern how external AI developers interact with WhatsApp, and whether those conditions could disadvantage rival chatbot services at a time when AI-powered communications tools are becoming integral to businesses and consumers across Europe. Regulators announced the inquiry on Thursday, citing concerns that Meta’s updated rules may block competing AI systems from operating on WhatsApp while allowing Meta’s own assistant to remain available. The Commission says the new policy appears to introduce limitations for business users who rely on AI tools to manage customer interactions, raising questions about whether Meta's approach complies with the EU’s competition law framework.

The investigation marks one of the earliest European competition cases focused specifically on AI platform access. With messaging services playing a growing role in business operations and customer support, regulators are examining how dominant communication platforms shape the emerging AI ecosystem.

EU EXAMINES WHETHER META’S POLICY LIMITS COMPETITION

The Commission’s inquiry comes shortly after WhatsApp introduced its AI chatbot feature for EU users following a delayed rollout earlier this year. Soon after, Meta updated WhatsApp's terms for business accounts, outlining how external AI assistants could integrate with the platform. Regulators say those changes could amount to blocking rival AI companies from offering their tools inside WhatsApp’s environment, particularly if the new terms favor Meta's own service by default.