Overview
- The European Commission launched a formal investigation into whether Meta’s new WhatsApp rules unlawfully exclude third‑party AI assistants.
- The probe covers all EU countries except Italy, where a separate national case on WhatsApp’s AI deployment is already under way.
- Regulators are focused on an October 2025 policy that curtails AI providers from using WhatsApp Business when AI is the primary service offered.
- The rules already apply to new developers since October 15 and are scheduled to take effect for existing providers on January 15, 2026, while Meta AI remains available on the platform.
- If abuse of dominance is found, Meta faces fines of up to 10% of global turnover, as the company cites user protection, privacy, and infrastructure stability to justify the restrictions.