The European Commission has warned Meta that it may be breaking EU competition rules by blocking rival artificial intelligence assistants from WhatsApp, and is considering interim measures to prevent harm to the market.
The policy change
In October 2025, Meta announced a change to the terms of WhatsApp’s business platform that would prevent general-purpose AI assistants from other companies from operating on the messaging service from 15 January 2026. In practice, that would leave Meta AI as the only AI assistant available to WhatsApp users.
The Commission’s view
In its preliminary findings, the Commission considers that Meta may be abusing its dominant position in messaging to gain an advantage in the fast-growing market for AI assistants. WhatsApp has billions of users worldwide and is the most widely used messaging app in many European countries, including Spain — making it a key gateway for reaching consumers.
Commission vice-president Teresa Ribera, responsible for competition, said dominant technology companies cannot be allowed to use their position to obtain an unfair advantage.
Interim measures
Because AI markets move quickly, the Commission is considering ordering interim measures to prevent serious and irreparable damage to competition while the investigation continues. Such measures are rarely used, which underlines how seriously Brussels views the case. Meta has the right to respond to the findings before any decision is taken.
Meta’s position
Meta has argued that its business platform was designed for companies to communicate with customers, not as a distribution channel for general-purpose chatbots, and that the volume of AI traffic placed a strain on its systems.
The wider context
The case is one of the first in which EU competition authorities have targeted the integration of generative AI into widely used consumer apps. It reflects concern that the companies that control the main digital gateways — operating systems, search engines, social networks and messaging apps — could use them to dominate AI as well.
What it could mean for users
If the Commission imposes measures, WhatsApp users in the EU could continue to access a range of AI assistants within the app, rather than only Meta’s. For AI developers, the case will set an important precedent on access to the platforms where consumers spend their time.
