Brussels has accused Meta of breaking EU competition rules by locking rival AI chatbots out of WhatsApp, opening the door to emergency action that could force the tech giant to let competitors back onto the platform.
The European Commission has sent Meta a Statement of Objections, setting out its preliminary view that the company abused its market position by blocking third-party AI assistants – including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot – from accessing and interacting with users on WhatsApp.
The move escalates an investigation launched in December 2025 into whether Meta is using its messaging dominance to tilt the AI assistant market in its own favor.
At the heart of the dispute are changes Meta announced in October 2025 to the WhatsApp Business policy. According to the Commission, those updates effectively banned general-purpose third-party AI assistants from operating on the platform.
OpenAI quickly announced it would no longer be available on WhatsApp, where it had more than 50 million users. “We would have much preferred to continue serving you on WhatsApp,” the company said, before blaming the policy changes for the move.
Microsoft followed suit, yanking Copilot from WhatsApp the following month. “Copilot on WhatsApp has helped millions of people connect with their AI companion in a familiar, everyday setting,” Redmond sobbed, noting that a transition was needed due to WhatsApp’s policy change.
The restrictions, which came fully into force on January 15, left Meta’s own chatbot, Meta AI, as the only assistant allowed to plug directly into WhatsApp.
Competition regulators said on Monday they preliminarily believe Meta holds a dominant position in consumer messaging across the European Economic Area, largely due to WhatsApp’s enormous user base. In Brussels’ view, the app is becoming a crucial gateway for AI assistants trying to reach consumers, meaning blocking rivals could choke off competition before it properly gets going.
The Commission warned that Meta’s policy risks causing “serious and irreparable harm” to the market for AI assistants. Officials fear the restrictions could raise barriers to entry, strengthen Meta’s foothold in AI distribution, and squeeze out smaller players hoping to gain traction in the rapidly expanding sector.
Because of those concerns, regulators said they are considering interim measures that could compel Meta to restore competitor access while the broader antitrust probe continues. Such emergency steps are rarely used and typically signal that regulators believe waiting for a final decision could permanently distort the market.
Teresa Ribera, the Commission’s executive vice president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, cast the case as an early test of how competition law applies to AI ecosystems.
“Artificial intelligence is bringing incredible innovations to consumers, and one of these is the emerging market of AI assistants,” Ribera said. “We must protect effective competition in this vibrant field, which means we cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally leverage their dominance to give themselves an unfair advantage.”
Meta pushed back on the Commission’s position. In a statement to The Register, a spokesperson said there is “no reason” for EU intervention and argued AI assistants have multiple ways to reach users, including through mobile app stores, operating systems, devices, websites, and partnerships.
The spokesperson also noted that a similar dispute was previously tested in Brazil, where courts dismissed arguments that WhatsApp represents a critical distribution channel for chatbot services.
Meta now has the chance to respond to the Commission’s objections and defend its policy. If Brussels ultimately rules against the company, it could face hefty fines and orders to change how WhatsApp integrates with third-party AI services. ®