EU launches antitrust probe against Meta’s AI strategy blocking AI rivals on WhatsApp

The European Union has initiated an antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms, targeting its recent restrictions on rival artificial intelligence services operating within WhatsApp. This announcement by the European Commission signals a continuing effort from Brussels to address the influence of major tech companies, particularly regarding how they leverage AI innovations to establish competitive advantages. The focus of the investigation is a policy shift that Meta enacted in late 2025, which bars third-party AI developers from utilizing the WhatsApp Business Solution if their primary service revolves around AI. This change effectively prevents general-purpose chatbots from accessing the platform, while Meta's own AI service, Meta AI, remains fully operational and accessible to users. Brussels regulators are concerned that this policy could be seen as an abuse of Meta's dominant market position, a violation of EU competition law. The European Commission is particularly apprehensive that competing AI providers will be hindered from reaching customers through WhatsApp, thereby providing Meta's AI service with an unfair advantage in the burgeoning AI landscape. Teresa Ribera, the EU’s Executive Vice-President, highlighted the urgency of addressing these issues to prevent large digital entities from stifling innovative competitors and inflicting long-lasting damage to the market. The repercussions of Meta’s new policy have already been significant, prompting major competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot to cease operations on the WhatsApp Business platform. This investigation is being conducted under standard competition regulations and is separate from the EU's newly implemented Digital Markets Act. Additionally, regulators are contemplating temporary measures to mitigate any further impacts from Meta's policy while the inquiry unfolds. In response, Meta has rejected the allegations as unfounded, asserting that the integration of third-party chatbots burdens their systems in ways they were not designed to handle. The company also argues that the AI market is already highly competitive and that users have various options to access AI services beyond WhatsApp. While there is no set timeline for the investigation, this development underscores the EU's commitment to ensuring fair competition among technology firms across Europe.