Meta is set to allow AI chatbot providers to offer their services on WhatsApp in Europe for the next 12 months through its business API, marking a significant policy reversal.
The decision aims to avert a major antitrust investigation by the European Commission. Previously, Meta had barred third-party AI providers from accessing the WhatsApp Business API, which prompted regulatory scrutiny not only in the EU but also in Italy and Brazil. The move to allow third-party AI chatbot providers is expected to impact the operational costs for rival AI developers, as Meta will charge fees ranging from €0.0490 to €0.1323 per “non-template message” depending on the country.
Meta stated that this fee-based access removes the need for immediate intervention by regulators, giving the European Commission time to conclude its ongoing investigation. The European Commission is currently analyzing the impact of these changes on its interim measures and broader antitrust investigations. A Commission spokesperson confirmed this analysis in an emailed statement, noting that the Commission had previously informed Meta of its intention to impose interim measures to halt the policy implementation.
The original policy change was announced by Meta in October and took effect on January 15. This implementation led to complaints from AI assistant providers regarding business disruption and allegations of anti-competitive behavior. Regulators in the EU, Italy, and Brazil launched investigations, pointing out that Meta offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, on the platform. It is worth noting that the new policy does not apply to businesses using AI to serve customers via templatized messages; only specific AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Poke are prohibited from accessing the API.
WhatsApp had previously argued that AI chatbots strain its systems in ways that the Business API was not designed to support. In January, Meta had allowed developers to offer chatbots via its API in Italy. The company maintains that the AI space is highly competitive and that users have access to various services through app stores, search engines, partnership integrations, and operating systems.
