The European Commission announced on Wednesday its intention to compel Meta Platforms to restore access for rival artificial intelligence assistants on its WhatsApp messaging platform. This move follows Meta’s decision to introduce an access fee for these third-party AI tools.
The EU’s executive body stated that the updated policy appears to effectively exclude competing AI assistants from WhatsApp, which prima facie violates European Union competition regulations. As a result, interim measures designed to prevent harm to market competition will remain active throughout the ongoing investigation.
In a significant development, the Commission plans to order Meta to reinstate third-party AI assistant access under the same terms that existed prior to October 15, 2025. This step aims to prevent serious and irreversible damage to competitive conditions within the digital market.
Earlier, Meta had informed the Commission in March that it would permit rival AI assistants on WhatsApp for a one-year period, contingent upon payment of a fee. This followed Meta’s initial plan to prohibit third-party AI chatbots from WhatsApp Business entirely.
Responding to the Commission’s stance, a Meta spokesperson argued that the regulatory proposal would force some of the world’s largest companies to use the paid WhatsApp Business service without charge. The spokesperson emphasized that small businesses, such as a bakery in France using the platform to manage orders, would effectively subsidize the costs for major AI providers like OpenAI, which they believe is unfair to European small enterprises.
Meanwhile, the European Commission revealed that its investigation has expanded to include Italy, where the national competition authority had launched a related inquiry last year. This broadening of the probe underscores the EU’s commitment to ensuring fair competition in the AI and messaging service markets.
