EU orders Meta to stop blocking rival AI chatbots on WhatsApp - Engadget

It’s an interim measure while the European Commission investigates the ban. The European Union has ordered Meta to open WhatsApp to AI chatbots from rival companies again, for free, as it investigates the messaging app's owner over potential antitrust violations. 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 can access the service. Before the ban, companies could send notifications through WhatsApp, such as order alerts, using other AI assistants. EU officials opened an antitrust investigation into the new policy in December and then warned the company earlier this year that it can take interim measures against it. In its announcement, the commission explained that Meta has held a dominant position in the European messaging app market since at least 2023. As such, Meta seems to be abusing its dominant position by preventing competing AI assistants from using the WhatsApp API. It also mentioned that Meta revised its policy in early March, allowing third-party AI assistants to access WhatsApp for a fee. However, the commission didn't view the offer of paid access as preferable