EU orders Meta to restore rival AI access to Whatsapp
The European Union has ordered Meta to restore free access for rival artificial intelligence assistants on WhatsApp, arguing that the company's restrictions could harm competition in the fast-growing AI market.
The European Commission announced that it had adopted interim measures as part of an ongoing competition investigation into Meta's policy preventing rival general-purpose AI assistants from offering services through WhatsApp, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.
According to the Commission, Meta's restrictions risk causing serious harm to competition in the rapidly expanding market for AI assistants.
The Commission's preliminary assessment found that Meta holds a dominant position in the European market for consumer communication applications. It argued that the company may have abused that position by blocking competing AI assistants from accessing WhatsApp.
The dispute centers on a policy introduced by Meta on 15 October 2025, which prohibited third-party general-purpose AI assistants from providing services through WhatsApp. As a result, only Meta's own AI service, Meta AI, remained accessible on the platform.
Although Meta later allowed some third-party AI services to regain access, the Commission concluded that the fees demanded by the company effectively created a barrier equivalent to the previous ban.
Under the interim decision, Meta has been instructed to restore free access to the WhatsApp Business API for rival AI assistants within five working days, under the same conditions that applied before 15 October 2025.
The European Commission has the authority to investigate whether companies operating in EU member states are engaging in anti-competitive behavior within their sectors. In such investigations, the Commission assesses whether firms have violated competition rules and can order harmful practices to end, as well as impose substantial fines.
The case reflects growing regulatory scrutiny of major technology companies in Europe, particularly regarding competition and access in emerging AI markets.
Photo: Meta
