The European Union has ordered Meta to reopen WhatsApp to AI chatbots from rival companies, for free, while it investigates the messaging app’s owner over potential antitrust violations. The interim measure comes as regulators scrutinize Meta’s decision to ban third-party AI assistants from its platform.
Meta introduced a new policy in October 2025 that banned third-party AI chatbots from the WhatsApp for Business API, making Meta AI the only chatbot that could access the service. Before the ban, companies could send notifications through WhatsApp, such as order alerts, using other AI assistants.
This regulatory action highlights the growing tension between Big Tech companies and European regulators over market dominance in emerging AI technologies. The decision comes at a critical time when AI integration into messaging platforms is becoming a key competitive battleground, and regulators are working to prevent companies from using their existing dominance to shut out competitors in new markets.
EU officials opened an antitrust investigation into the new policy in December and warned the company earlier this year that it could take interim measures. In its announcement, the commission explained that Meta has held a dominant position in the European messaging app market since at least 2023. Officials argue that Meta is abusing this dominant position by preventing competing AI assistants from using the WhatsApp API.
The commission also noted that Meta revised its policy in early March, allowing third-party AI assistants to access WhatsApp for a fee. However, regulators didn’t view the offer of paid access as sufficient to address their concerns about the outright ban. The commission believes there’s an “urgent need” to implement measures to prevent permanent harm to the market while its investigation continues.
Under this order, Meta must restore its terms and conditions for third-party AI assistants for WhatsApp to what they were before the October 2025 policy change. The interim measure must stay in place until the investigation concludes. “In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted,” said EU competition chief Teresa Ribera.
According to reports, Ribera also told journalists at a press event that she thought the fee Meta was asking for third-party access was too high. Meta has indicated it will appeal the decision, arguing that the EU’s order represents regulatory overreach that would grant some of the world’s largest companies access to the WhatsApp Business API without paying.
This case reflects broader concerns about how dominant tech platforms might use their market position to favor their own AI products over competitors. As AI becomes more central to digital services, regulators are increasingly focused on ensuring that established platforms don’t use their existing user bases to create unfair advantages in the AI market.