The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Meta’s new policy for artificial intelligence (AI) providers’ access to the WhatsApp messaging service announced by the American company last October, the community’s CEO reported on Thursday. He points out that “competing AI service providers could be prevented from reaching their customers through WhatsApp,” while “Meta’s own service, Meta AI, will remain accessible to platform users.”
Brussels adds that the new policy of Mark Zuckerberg’s technology company “prevents artificial intelligence providers from using a tool that allows companies to communicate with their customers through WhatsApp, the WhatsApp Business Solution, when artificial intelligence is the main service they provide.”
The community executive is aware that businesses will be able to continue using AI tools to perform “accessory or support functions,” such as automated customer service through WhatsApp, and fears “this new policy could prevent third-party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp in the European Economic Area (EEA).” This includes European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
The committee believes that “Meta will implement the new policy by updating WhatsApp’s terms and conditions for business users, the ‘WhatsApp Business API Terms’.” For AI service providers already on WhatsApp, the update will apply “from January 15, 2026, while for new AI providers on WhatsApp, it will apply from October 15, 2025.”
The formal investigation will cover the European Economic Area, excluding Italy, to avoid “overlapping” with the ongoing proceedings of the Italian Competition Authority regarding the possible imposition of interim measures on Meta.
“We are investigating whether the new Meta policy may be illegal under competition rules and whether we should act quickly to avoid potential irreparable harm to competition in the field of artificial intelligence,” Competition Commissioner and European Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera said in a statement.
The Commissioner adds: “AI markets are thriving in Europe and beyond (…). We must ensure that European citizens and companies can fully benefit from this technological revolution and work to prevent large, dominant digital players from abusing their power to drive out innovative competitors.” The committee will now conduct its in-depth investigation as a priority. The executive authority indicates that this procedure does not prejudge its results, recalling that there is no legal deadline for completing the antitrust investigation.