EC Aims Meta over WhatsApp AI Competition

The European Commission has started another antitrust probe into Meta Platforms. The body warns that Meta may have excluded rival AI assistants from WhatsApp.

The EC issued a statement of objections to Meta for breaching EU competition rules by blocking third-party AI assistants from accessing the popular messaging platform. The EC warned Meta’s conduct risks blocking competitors from entering or expanding in the rapidly growing market for AI assistants, adding that action may be needed to avoid serious and irreparable harm on the market.

The probe is centred on access to WhatsApp’s Business API, a key interface that enables companies and developers to integrate services such as AI-powered chatbots into the messaging platform. In October 2025, Meta revised WhatsApp’s business solution terms to effectively ban third-party AI assistants from the platform. Since 15 January, Meta AI has been the only assistant available on WhatsApp.

Meta has since rejected the watchdog’s claims. “The facts are that there is no reason for the EU to intervene in the WhatsApp Business API, as there are many AI options available through app stores, devices, and partnerships. The EC incorrectly assumes the WhatsApp Business API is a key distribution channel for these chatbots,” a Meta spokesperson said.

The case adds to mounting regulatory pressure on the tech giant in the EU. Last month, the EC designated WhatsApp as a Very Large Online Platform under its Digital Services Act (DSA) after the platform’s ‘Channels’ feature surpassed the threshold of 45 million monthly users in the EU. This milestone subjected Meta to stricter content moderation and compliance rules in the region.