The European Commission has charged Meta Platforms with antitrust violations for blocking rival AI assistants from WhatsApp, issuing a statement of objections on Monday and accusing the company of breaching EU competition rules.
The charges relate to a policy that took effect on January 15, 2026, prohibiting AI providers from using the WhatsApp Business API if AI is their primary service. Meta first announced the updated terms in October 2025, making Meta AI the only general-purpose AI assistant available to WhatsApp’s approximately three billion users. The Commission signaled it may apply interim measures to reverse the policy during Meta’s defense preparation, a tool rarely deployed that highlights the case’s urgency.
The investigation began in December 2023, led by EU executive vice-president for competition Teresa Ribera. She stated then, “AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond. We must ensure European citizens and businesses can benefit fully from this technological revolution and act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors.”
Similar actions occurred elsewhere. Italy’s antitrust authority ordered Meta in December 2023 to suspend the policy in Italy, leading the company to exempt Italian phone numbers from the ban. Brazil’s competition authority launched a probe in November 2023 after complaints from AI firms Luzia and Zapia, who claimed Meta used an “embrace, extend, and extinguish” strategy by initially supporting developers on WhatsApp before restricting them.
The Interaction Company of California, operator of the AI assistant Poke.com, lodged complaints with Italian and EU regulators. Its co-founder and CEO, Marvin von Hagen, said, “Meta should have suspended the policy worldwide, not just in Italy. The Commission must urgently follow Italy’s lead and adopt interim measures.”
Meta argues the WhatsApp Business API was never meant as a distribution channel for third-party AI chatbots. A spokesperson called the allegations “baseless,” pointing to “unsustainable strain” from rival chatbots on WhatsApp’s infrastructure.
A violation of EU antitrust rules could result in fines up to 10 percent of Meta’s global annual revenue. The company has faced prior penalties, including €200 million earlier in 2025 for Digital Markets Act breaches and €798 million in November 2024 for bundling Facebook Marketplace with its social media platform.
