Overview
- The investigation centers on Meta’s October policy that bars providers whose primary business is AI from using a WhatsApp customer‑communication feature, permitting AI only for supporting functions.
- The new terms took effect in mid‑October 2025, with a transition period for existing AI providers that runs until January 15, 2026.
- The case proceeds under EU competition law with no fixed deadline, and Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera says regulators aim to prevent dominant players from displacing innovative rivals.
- The probe covers the European Economic Area except Italy, where a separate national investigation is already examining alleged forced use of WhatsApp’s AI assistant without a disable option.
- Meta says it has not received formal details of the EU case and rejects earlier allegations as unfounded, arguing that AI chatbots strain its Business API systems.