The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether Meta’s new policy on AI providers’ access to WhatsApp may breach EU competition rules. Meta’s new policy, announced in October 2025, prohibits AI providers from using a tool allowing businesses to communicate with customers via WhatsApp, the ‘WhatsApp Business Solution’, when AI is the primary service offered. Businesses may still use AI tools for ancillary or support functions, such as automated customer support offered via WhatsApp. The Commission is concerned that such new policy may prevent third party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’), raising antitrust concerns. The formal investigation will cover the EEA except for Italy (to avoid overlap with the Italian Competition Authority’s ongoing proceedings on the same matter). This investigation is part of the Commission’s ongoing monitoring of AI markets in the EEA.
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