techend
By Malik Shahzad Aslam :
The European Commission has formally instructed Meta to allow competing artificial intelligence chatbots access to its WhatsApp platform, following a preliminary antitrust investigation that found the tech giant may be violating EU competition rules. The probe revealed that a recent change in Meta’s terms of service had effectively blocked third-party AI assistants from connecting with users via WhatsApp since January, raising concerns about the company abusing its market dominance.
Teresa Ribera, EU competition chief, said that the bloc is considering interim measures to prevent Meta’s new policy from causing “irreparable harm” to competition in the European market. These measures could force Meta to maintain access for rival AI tools under the same terms as before the policy change until the investigation concludes.
As part of the antitrust procedure, the Commission has issued Meta a “statement of objections”, a formal warning giving the company an opportunity to respond and defend its practices. While the move does not determine the outcome of the probe, it signals the EU’s serious scrutiny of the messaging giant’s AI policies.
Meta has rejected the EU’s preliminary findings, asserting that users have numerous alternatives for AI services outside of WhatsApp, including through app stores, operating systems, websites, and other industry partnerships. A company spokesperson said, “There is no justification for EU intervention. WhatsApp Business API is not the primary distribution channel for AI chatbots, and the commission’s assumptions are flawed.”
Context of the EU Investigation
The investigation, which began in December 2025, is part of the European Union’s broader effort to regulate Big Tech companies, many headquartered in the United States. Regulators are particularly concerned that Meta’s integration of its own Meta AI assistant across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram could unfairly limit competition, especially affecting smaller companies trying to enter the AI chatbot market.
The EU estimates that WhatsApp has more than three billion users worldwide, which could give Meta a significant advantage if rival AI services remain barred. The probe covers the European Economic Area (EEA), including all 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, except Italy, which launched a separate investigation into Meta in July 2025.
Ribera emphasized, “We cannot allow dominant tech companies to exploit their market power to unfairly favor their own services over competitors.”
Meta’s Broader Regulatory Challenges
This is not Meta’s first clash with EU authorities. The company is already facing multiple investigations under the Digital Markets Act, including scrutiny over its ad-supported versus subscription model on Facebook and Instagram. Last year, the EU fined Meta $238 million for issues related to online competition, which the company has appealed.
Other ongoing EU probes include investigations into how Facebook and Instagram manage the risk of social media addiction among children, highlighting broader regulatory pressures facing Meta across multiple fronts.
What This Means
If the EU enforces interim measures, rival AI chatbots could resume operations on WhatsApp immediately, ensuring that smaller developers are not shut out of a key messaging platform while the full antitrust process continues. The outcome of the probe could set a precedent for how messaging and social media platforms must treat competing AI technologies in the EU market.
The case is a significant moment in global tech regulation, reflecting growing scrutiny over how dominant platforms integrate their own AI services and the potential consequences for innovation, competition, and consumer choice.
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