The European Commission warned Meta Platforms on Monday it may force WhatsApp to reopen its platform to rival AI assistants. EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said the bloc is considering interim measures to prevent "serious and irreparable harm" to competition.
Meta changed its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms in October 2025, a move that took effect January 15. The update left Meta AI as the only artificial intelligence assistant available on the messaging platform, effectively blocking third-party competitors from connecting to customers.
This follows Microsoft's removal of Copilot AI from WhatsApp earlier this year.
The European Commission sent Meta a formal "statement of objections" outlining its preliminary view that the company breached EU antitrust rules. Regulators said Meta's conduct risks blocking competitors from entering or expanding in the rapidly growing market for AI assistants.
"We cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally use their dominance to give themselves an unfair advantage," Ribera said in a statement. "AI markets are developing at rapid pace, so we also need to be swift in our action."
Meta rejected the Commission's findings, saying there was "no reason for the EU to intervene." A company spokesperson argued users have many AI options through app stores, operating systems, devices, websites, and industry partnerships.
"The Commission's logic incorrectly assumes the WhatsApp Business API is a key distribution channel for these chatbots," the spokesperson said. WhatsApp serves more than three billion users globally, making it a potentially significant gateway for AI services.
The EU investigation covers the European Economic Area except Italy, where national competition authorities imposed interim measures on Meta in December. Italian regulators had warned Meta's policy could "completely exclude Meta AI's competitors from the WhatsApp platform."
Any decision on temporary restrictions will depend on Meta's response and its right to defend itself during the investigation process. The Commission said it intends to act quickly to ensure the policy change doesn't result in lasting damage to market competition.
This case represents the latest attempt by the 27-nation EU to regulate Big Tech companies, many based in the United States. The action comes amid ongoing tensions with the Trump administration over European regulatory approaches to American technology firms.
Meta already faces multiple EU investigations under different laws, including the WhatsApp AI restriction probe that began in December 2025 under Article 102 of the EU treaty. Regulators are examining Facebook and Instagram over concerns about social media addiction for children, while the company also appealed a 200-million-euro fine imposed last year under the Digital Markets Act.
Meta's main businesses include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, online advertising, and virtual reality products. Meta has been aggressively expanding its AI capabilities, including acquiring AI startup Manus in December to boost its autonomous agent technology.
EU competition authorities emphasized they need to preserve access for competitors to WhatsApp while the investigation continues. This action against Meta follows similar EU regulatory proceedings against Google over AI access to Android under the Digital Markets Act rules.
