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EU Moves to Force Meta to Restore Rival AI Access on WhatsApp

By  |  April 15, 2026

The European Commission said Wednesday it plans to require Meta Platforms to reinstate access for competing artificial intelligence assistants on its WhatsApp platform, escalating a dispute over competition in the fast-growing AI sector. The move comes after the U.S. technology company introduced a fee that critics say effectively shut out third-party developers.

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    According to Reuters, the Commission warned that Meta’s revised policy could undermine fair competition by limiting access for rival AI services. “The Commission notified Meta that the revised policy seems to have the same effect of excluding third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp and thus appears at first sight to be in breach of EU competition rules,” the EU’s executive arm said in a statement.

    Per Reuters, the Commission indicated it is prepared to impose interim measures while its investigation continues, citing concerns about potential harm to competition. These temporary steps would remain in place until the probe concludes.

    “To prevent serious and irreparable harm to competition, the Commission intends to order Meta to reinstate access for third-party AI assistants under the same conditions as before 15 October 2025,” the statement added.

    The dispute follows earlier efforts by Meta to reshape how AI services operate within WhatsApp. According to Reuters, the company had previously told regulators in March that it would allow rival AI assistants on the platform for one year, but only if they paid a fee. This followed an earlier plan to block third-party AI chatbots from WhatsApp Business entirely.

    Read more: Court Allows Class Action Against Meta Over Facebook Data Breach

    Meta has pushed back against the Commission’s stance, arguing that the proposed intervention could unfairly benefit large technology firms. “The European Commission is proposing to use its regulatory powers to enable some of the largest companies in the world to use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free,” a Meta spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

    The company also warned of unintended consequences for smaller users of its platform. “This means that a small bakery in France paying to use the service to take croissant orders will be picking up the tab for OpenAI. Small European businesses shouldn’t foot OpenAI’s bill,” the spokesperson added.

    Per Reuters, the Commission has also broadened its investigation to include Italy, where the national competition authority launched its own inquiry into the matter last year. The expanded scope underscores growing scrutiny across Europe over how major technology firms manage access to digital platforms, particularly in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence.

    Source: Reuters