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Brazil’s CADE Halts WhatsApp AI Policy and Opens Antitrust Probe

By  |  January 13, 2026
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Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE has ordered WhatsApp to suspend a policy that restricts third-party artificial intelligence companies from using the platform’s Business API to provide chatbots, while also launching an investigation into whether the rule violates competition laws.

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    According to a statement from CADE, the authority is examining whether the updated WhatsApp Business Solution Terms could amount to anti-competitive behavior. The regulator cited concerns about “a possible exclusive anti-competitive conduct arising from the application of the New WhatsApp Terms (‘WhatsApp Business Solution Terms’), imposed by Meta to regulate access and offerings of AI technologies by AI tool providers to WhatsApp users,” per CADE’s press office.

    The regulator said it will assess whether the terms unfairly limit competitors’ access or provide an undue advantage to Meta AI, Meta Platforms’ own chatbot available on WhatsApp. According to CADE, the review will focus on whether the restrictions go beyond what is necessary to operate the service and whether they distort competition in the fast-growing AI chatbot market.

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    The policy in question stems from changes Meta introduced in October to the terms governing the WhatsApp Business API. Under the revised rules, third-party companies are barred from offering their own AI chatbots through WhatsApp. According to public statements from affected firms, companies including OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft indicated that their chatbots would no longer be available on WhatsApp once the policy takes effect on January 15. At the same time, per a statement on the policy’s scope, Meta allows businesses to deploy their own chatbots directly to communicate with customers on the platform.

    Related: EU Probes Meta Over Potential AI Restrictions on WhatsApp

    Regulatory scrutiny of the new terms is not limited to Brazil. According to competition authorities in Europe, the European Union and Italy have also opened antitrust investigations into the policy. If EU regulators determine that the changes breach competition rules, Meta could face penalties of up to 10% of its global revenue.

    Meta has said that AI developers may continue to offer their chatbots in Italy after the new rules come into force on January 15, according to company communications cited by regulators. Similar exemptions or adjustments could be considered for Brazil following CADE’s order. The company did not respond to requests for comment outside official business hours.

    Analysts say the Brazilian case could have broader implications for Latin America’s digital economy. According to industry observers, CADE’s move may influence how other regulators in the region approach platform access and competition as the chatbot market expands rapidly. For businesses relying on popular messaging apps to deploy AI tools, the decision underscores the need to monitor regulatory developments and ensure compliance with evolving access rules.

    Source: Mezha