EU Threatens WhatsApp with Provisional Measures Over Competitor AI Chatbot Ban

Europe - Ekhbary News Agency

EU Threatens WhatsApp with Provisional Measures Over Competitor AI Chatbot Ban

The European Commission has issued a preliminary finding that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has violated EU antitrust rules. The core of the investigation centers on Meta's recent policy change that effectively bars artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots developed by competing firms, including prominent ones like ChatGPT, from operating within its widely used messaging application, WhatsApp. Brussels, the seat of the European Commission, has formally notified the tech giant, led by Mark Zuckerberg, stating its "intention to impose provisional measures to prevent this policy change from causing serious and irreparable damage to the market." This move signals a significant regulatory challenge to Meta's control over its communication platforms.

This regulatory action comes at a critical juncture as the field of artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, promising transformative innovations for consumers and businesses alike. Teresa Ribera, the EU's Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, emphasized the broader implications: "Artificial intelligence is bringing incredible innovations to consumers, and one of them is the emerging market for AI assistants. We must protect effective competition in this dynamic sector, which means we cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally leverage their dominance to gain an unfair advantage." Her statement underscores the EU's commitment to fostering a competitive digital landscape, particularly in the nascent but rapidly expanding AI sector.

Ribera further reiterated Brussels' resolve to "swiftly impose provisional measures" to ensure that WhatsApp, a platform boasting over two billion global users, remains interoperable with a diverse range of AI chatbots, not exclusively Meta's own offering, Meta AI. This directive aims to prevent Meta from monopolizing the integration of AI services within its messaging ecosystem. The EU's stance reflects a broader concern about the gatekeeping power of dominant technology platforms and their potential to stifle innovation and limit consumer choice.

Meta's portfolio is extensive, encompassing social media giants like Facebook and Instagram, communication tools such as WhatsApp and Messenger, online advertising services, and virtual and augmented reality products. Like other major tech players such as Google and Microsoft, Meta also offers a general-purpose AI assistant, Meta AI. However, its recent strategic decisions regarding WhatsApp have drawn the attention of regulators concerned about competitive practices.

According to available information, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, announced an update to its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms on October 15, 2025. This update prohibited the use of third-party general-purpose AI assistants within the application. Consequently, as of January 15, 2026, Meta AI became the sole AI assistant accessible on the messaging app, effectively excluding any competition. This specific policy change is at the heart of the European Commission's current investigation.

The European Commission initiated its probe into this matter last December. Its preliminary findings suggest that "Meta is likely to hold a dominant position in the market for communication applications" through WhatsApp. Furthermore, the investigation indicates that the company might be exploiting this position to "deny access to WhatsApp to other companies, including third-party AI assistants." These conclusions raise significant concerns about the business strategies of large technology firms and their impact on fair market competition.

The Commission's statement highlighted an "urgent need for protective measures due to the risk of serious and irreparable harm to competition." It added that "Meta's conduct risks creating barriers to entry and expansion, and irreparably marginalizing smaller competitors in the market for general-purpose AI assistants." These concerns reflect the ongoing challenge regulators face in balancing technological advancement with the imperative of maintaining a level playing field for all market participants.

Meta is now afforded the right to present its defense against these allegations. Following this, if Brussels determines that "the conditions for imposing provisional measures are met, it may adopt a decision imposing them," potentially even before the full investigation concludes. This procedural step underscores the EU's rigorous approach to enforcing its competition laws, even against the world's largest technology corporations.

Conversely, sources within Meta have indicated to the press that the company "sees no reason for the Commission to open WhatsApp to artificial intelligence tools developed by other companies." Meta argues that "numerous AI options exist and can be used from app stores, operating systems, devices, or websites." The company maintains that its messaging application is not "a key distribution channel for these chatbots" and, therefore, does not believe it is violating EU monopoly laws. This stance places Meta in direct opposition to the European regulatory interpretation, which prioritizes safeguarding the dynamics of emerging markets.

Ekhbary News Agency