Meta faces EU antitrust investigation over WhatsApp policy blocking rival AI chatbots

EU investigating Meta over policy change that bans rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp | TechCrunch

Meta's move to serve only its AI chatbot, Meta AI, to WhatsApp users isn't sitting well with the competition regulators in Europe. The European Commission on Thursday said it is launching an antitrust investigation into Meta's move to ban other AI companies from using WhatsApp's business tools to offer their own AI chatbots to users on the app. WhatsApp in October changed its business API policy to ban general-purpose chatbots from the chat app, saying that the API isn't designed to be a platform for the distribution of chatbots. The policy change, which goes into effect in January, would affect the availability of AI chatbots from the likes of OpenAI, Perplexity, and Poke on the app. Notably, this move doesn't affect businesses that are using AI to serve customers on WhatsApp. For instance, a retailer running an AI-powered customer service bot won't be barred from using the API. Only AI chatbots like ChatGPT are prohibited from being distributed via the API. In its statement, the EU's executive arm said it was concerned that the policy may "prevent third-party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp in the European Economic Area ('EEA')." "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp. On the other hand, Meta's own AI service 'Meta AI' would remain accessible to users on the platform," the Commission wrote. "AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond. We must ensure European citizens and businesses can benefit fully from this technological revolution and act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors," Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition at the European Commission, said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space." If Meta is found guilty of breaching EU's antitrust rules, it may be fined up to 10% of its global annual revenue, and the Commission may impose additional measures on the company. Meta did not immediately return a request for comment.

The EU is probing Meta over WhatsApp's AI chatbot restrictions

The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Meta over antitrust concerns with AI restrictions in WhatsApp. The probe aims to "prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space" according to the EU, and follows Meta announcing changes to WhatsApp's terms for businesses in October that will prohibit companies from using the platform's API to distribute third-party AI chatbots. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," says the European Commission's announcement. "On the other hand, Meta's own AI service 'Meta AI' would remain accessible to users on the platform." The updated WhatsApp policy went into effect on October 15 for AI providers that don't already have services on the platform, and will apply to existing AI providers on WhatsApp starting January 15th, 2026. OpenAI and Microsoft responded to the policy changes earlier this year by announcing that ChatGPT and Copilot would be removed from the platform. The investigation will assess whether Meta violated the EU laws that "prohibit the abuse of a dominant position" to make it harder for smaller providers to compete with its own services. There is no deadline for the investigation. If Meta is ruled to have breached the bloc's antitrust rules, it may face fines up to 10 percent of the company's global annual revenue, working out at $16.45 billion (per Meta's 2024 earnings). "AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond," European competition commissioner Teresa Ribera said in the announcement. "We must ensure European citizens and businesses can benefit fully from this technological revolution and act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors."

WhatsApp AI restrictions attract EU antitrust investigation

OpenAI and Microsoft yank their chatbots, telling millions of users to head elsewhere The European Commission has opened an antitrust probe into Meta after WhatsApp rewrote its rules to block rival AI chatbots including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot. The problem is a WhatsApp policy update that bars AI providers from using the platform's business API (the WhatsApp Business Solution) to make their AI technologies the primary service on offer. Services like automated customer support remain allowed when AI is only incidental or ancillary, but "providing, delivering, offering, selling, or otherwise making available" such technologies via the WhatsApp Business Solution is prohibited when they are the main functionality being made available. The update was made in October 2025 and will apply to AI providers already on the platform from January 15, 2026. The result has been an exodus of providers. On October 21, OpenAI directed users to the ChatGPT app, noting that more than 50 million users had used ChatGPT on WhatsApp. "We would have much preferred to continue serving you on WhatsApp," said the cash bonfire, before blaming the policy and terms change for the move. In November, Microsoft followed suit. It said, "Copilot on WhatsApp has helped millions of people connect with their AI companion in a familiar, everyday setting," but a transition was needed due to WhatsApp's policy change. The EC said in a press release that "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp. On the other hand, Meta's own AI service 'Meta AI' would remain accessible to users on the platform." A WhatsApp spokesperson told The Register: "The claims are baseless." The spokesperson went on to point out that the company's systems were not designed to handle the load placed on them by AI chatbots through the Business API, and that, regardless, there was more than enough competition in the AI space. That is something for the EC to decide. Teresa Ribera, EC Executive VP for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, agreed that the AI market was indeed booming. However, "We must ensure European citizens and businesses can benefit fully from this technological revolution and act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors," she said in the EC's release. The investigation's opening wasn't surprising, given WhatsApp's size and the impact of the new rules on rival AI providers. The effect of the change is to prevent third-party AI providers from offering general-purpose chatbots through the WhatsApp Business Solution, leaving Meta AI as the only consumer-facing, general-purpose assistant available on the platform. The EU has been working to curb the excesses of the tech giants, prompting US President Donald Trump to threaten retaliatory tariffs on any nation that dared to impose regulation on US tech companies. Trump has yet to comment on the EC's WhatsApp announcement through his usual social media orifices. ®

Meta faces Europe antitrust investigation over WhatsApp AI policy

The probe will examine whether Meta's new policy on allowing AI providers' access to WhatsApp may breach EU competition rules. Meta has been hit with an EU antitrust investigation over its use of AI features in WhatsApp, as the European bloc continues to ramp up challenges to US big tech giants. The probe will examine whether Meta's new policy on allowing AI providers' access to WhatsApp may breach EU competition rules, Brussels said in a statement Thursday morning. "The claims are baseless," a WhatsApp spokesperson told CNBC in a statement, adding that the app's application programming interface (API) was not designed to support AI chatbots and "puts a strain on our systems." "The AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations and operating systems," the company added.

WhatsApp faces European antitrust investigation over artificial intelligence

LONDON (AP) -- WhatsApp faces an antitrust investigation in the European Union, where regulators said Thursday that they're looking into the messaging service's artificial intelligence policy. The European Commission said it opened the formal investigation because of concerns about WhatsApp's move to limit access for third-party AI providers. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook parent Meta Platforms, rolled out its AI chatbot feature for European Union users in March after delays. The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, said a recent policy update could mean that rival AI companies are blocked from offering their AI assistants on the platform, while Meta's chatbot service remains accessible to users. Meta didn't respond immediately to a request for comment. Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said the bloc wants to prevent Big Tech companies from boxing out innovative competitors. "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space," she said in a press statement. The investigation will cover all of the EU's 27 countries except for Italy, where authorities have already opened their own separate probe.

EU Commission hits Meta with antitrust probe despite US pressure

The tech giant is alleged to have abused its dominant position with rules on AI WhatsApp integration. The probe could further strain EU-US talks on European steel and aluminium, which have already been hit with steep US tariffs. The European Commission on Thursday launched an antitrust probe into Meta over its AI policy on WhatsApp. The decision comes just 10 days after United States trade officials visited Brussels and warned that punishing tariffs on European Union steel and aluminium could remain in place if the implementation of digital rules targeting Big Tech was not watered down. "AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond," EU competition commissioner Teresa Ribera said, defending the probe. "We must ensure European citizens and businesses can benefit fully of this technological revolution and act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors." Concerns over market dominance The Commission is investigating a new Meta policy that could block AI providers from communicating with WhatsApp users, potentially giving Meta's own AI service an edge. Earlier this year, Meta integrated its AI system into WhatsApp including business-managed chat groups. Until October, businesses could deploy AI bots in those groups to handle client issues or provide support services, but Meta's new rules could curb such integrations, raising concerns that the company could abuse its position. The probe was not launched under the EU's Digital Markets Act, long criticised by the US, but it could still complicate EU-US talks over tariffs as high as 50%. The Trump administration has accusing Brussels of targeting American firms and called EU fines on tech companies a "tax". A WhatsApp spokesperson dismissed the EU's claims as "baseless." "The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support," the spokesperson said. "Even still, the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems."

EU hits Meta with antitrust probe over WhatsApp AI features

Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) - The EU said Thursday it had opened an antitrust probe to determine if the way Meta is rolling out AI features in WhatsApp breaches the bloc's competition rules. The move against the US giant marks the latest attempt by the 27-nation EU to rein in Big Tech, in the face of strong pushback by the government of US President Donald Trump. The probe falls under the bloc's antitrust rules rather than its newly reinforced digital laws, which Trump has accused of unfairly targeting American firms -- threatening retaliation. The European Commission said it was concerned that a newly announced Meta policy "may prevent third party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp". WhatsApp pushed back against the claims as "baseless". But EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said the bloc must "act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors". "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space," Ribera said in a statement. The EU says the Meta policy announced in October will bar rival AI providers from using a tool in the business version of WhatsApp to reach customers directly. The restriction applies "when AI is the primary service offered" -- as with an AI chatbot or assistant -- though firms may still use AI tools for support functions such as customer support. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," the commission said. "On the other hand, Meta's own AI service 'Meta AI' would remain accessible to users on the platform." WhatsApp rejected the argument that it risked hindering competition. "The claims are baseless," a spokesperson said. "The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support." "Even still, the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems." Multiple cases The EU probe covers the European Economic Area, made up of the bloc's 27 states, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway -- with the exception of Italy, which opened a separate investigation into Meta in July. The Italian antitrust body has said that by merging Meta AI with WhatsApp the US giant may be imposing the use of its AI services on users and channelling its customer base into the emerging market. There is no legal deadline for concluding an antitrust investigation. Meta already faces the risk of heavy fines under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates content. One DSA case accuses Meta of failing to grant researchers sufficient access to public data, another focuses on accusations Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram do not provide user-friendly ways to flag illegal content or challenge content-moderation decisions. EU regulators are also investigating Facebook and Instagram over fears they are not doing enough to combat the addictive nature of their platforms for children. Meta has separately appealed against a 200-million-euro fine imposed this year under the bloc's Digital Markets Act competition law over its policy asking users to choose between an ad-free subscription and a free, ad-supported service.

FT: EU to probe Meta over AI roll-out in WhatsApp

According to the Financial Times' sources, the investigation would fall under traditional antitrust laws rather than the DMA. The EU is reportedly preparing to open an antitrust investigation into Meta over its integration of AI features into WhatsApp in the region's latest attempt to reign in Big Tech. According to a Financial Times (FT) report published today (4 December), two EU officials told the outlet that the European Commission is set to open a probe into how Meta integrated its Meta AI chatbot and virtual assistant within WhatsApp. While the system has been available in the US since 2023, the tech giant only rolled out the function for Europeans in March after a year-long delay due to "intensive discussions" with the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) about training its AI models on European data. The AI system is used to suggest prompts and autofill text within the messaging app's chat function. According to FT's EU sources, the new upcoming investigation was set to be announced "in the coming days", but that the timing "could yet shift". The new probe will also reportedly fall under traditional antitrust laws rather than the Digital Markets Act - under which Meta was one of the first Big Tech companies to receive a penalty for breaching the regulation. According to FT, Meta declined to comment on the new investigation. Meta is already under investigation by the Italian Competition Authority over its WhatsApp AI integration, after the authority launched a probe in July over Meta's decision to pre-install Meta AI on the app - arguing that the tech giant was abusing its dominant position in the market for consumer communications apps. "By combining Meta AI with WhatsApp, Meta appears capable of channelling its customer base into the emerging [AI] market, not through merit-based competition, but by 'imposing' the availability of the two distinct services upon users, potentially harming competitors," the Italian authority said at the time. The watchdog broadened the probe late last month, and also opened a procedure for the possible adoption of "interim measures" in respect to its integration of Meta AI into the messaging app. Meta's recent legal and regulatory battles have seen a number of ups and downs. Last month, a Madrid court ordered the company to pay €479m to 87 Spanish digital media outlets and news agencies for breaching the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Just before the Spanish ruling, Meta won a key court ruling against the US Federal Trade Commission after a US court found that the company did not violate antitrust law by purchasing Instagram and WhatsApp. Meanwhile, in October, an EU preliminary ruling found that Meta does not provide Instagram and Facebook users with simple mechanisms to notify illegal content or challenge content moderation decisions. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

WhatsApp faces European antitrust investigation over artificial intelligence

LONDON -- WhatsApp faces an antitrust investigation in the European Union, where regulators said Thursday that they're looking into the messaging service's artificial intelligence policy. The European Commission said it opened the formal investigation because of concerns about WhatsApp's move to limit access for third-party AI providers. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook parent Meta Platforms, rolled out its AI chatbot feature for European Union users in March after delays. The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, said a recent policy update could mean that rival AI companies are blocked from offering their AI assistants on the platform, while Meta's chatbot service remains accessible to users. Meta didn't respond immediately to a request for comment. Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said the bloc wants to prevent Big Tech companies from boxing out innovative competitors. "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space," she said in a press statement. The investigation will cover all of the EU's 27 countries except for Italy, where authorities have already opened their own separate probe.

WhatsApp faces European antitrust investigation over artificial intelligence

LONDON (AP) -- WhatsApp faces an antitrust investigation in the European Union, where regulators said Thursday that they're looking into the messaging service's artificial intelligence policy. The European Commission said it opened the formal investigation because of concerns about WhatsApp's move to limit access for third-party AI providers. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook parent Meta Platforms, rolled out its AI chatbot feature for European Union users in March after delays. The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, said a recent policy update could mean that rival AI companies are blocked from offering their AI assistants on the platform, while Meta's chatbot service remains accessible to users. Meta didn't respond immediately to a request for comment. Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said the bloc wants to prevent Big Tech companies from boxing out innovative competitors. "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space," she said in a press statement. The investigation will cover all of the EU's 27 countries except for Italy, where authorities have already opened their own separate probe.

EU Launches Antitrust Probe Into Meta Over Use of AI in WhatsApp

By Foo Yun Chee, Mrinmay Dey and Rishabh Jaiswal BRUSSELS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Brussels has opened a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms over its rollout of artificial intelligence features in WhatsApp, the European Commission said on Thursday, reflecting rising scrutiny of Big Tech's use of generative AI. The move, reported earlier by Reuters and the Financial Times, marks the latest action by European regulators against large technology firms as the bloc seeks to balance support for the sector with efforts to curb its expanding influence. The European Commission opened the investigation into "Meta's new policy regarding AI providers' access to WhatsApp" after the California-based company integrated its Meta AI system into the messaging service earlier this year. A WhatsApp spokesperson said that "the claims are baseless", adding that the emergence of chatbots on its platforms "puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support". "Even still, the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems." Meta AI, a chatbot and virtual assistant, has been built into WhatsApp's interface since March 2025 across European markets. Italy's antitrust watchdog opened a parallel investigation in July into allegations that Meta leveraged its market power by integrating an AI tool into WhatsApp. The probe was expanded in November to examine whether Meta further abused its dominance by blocking rival AI chatbots from the messaging platform. The FT, citing officials, said that the EU probe will be conducted under traditional antitrust rules rather than the EU's Digital Markets Act, the bloc's landmark legislation currently used to scrutinize Amazon and Microsoft's cloud services for potential curbs. (Reporting by Foo Yun-Chee, Mrinmay Dey and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Louise Heavens)

EU hits Meta with antitrust probe over WhatsApp AI features

The European Union has launched an antitrust inquiry into Meta's recent AI advancements on WhatsApp, citing concerns about potential barriers for third-party AI innovators. The EU said Thursday it has opened an antitrust probe to determine if the way Meta is rolling out AI features in WhatsApp breaches the bloc's competition rules. In announcing the probe, the European Commission said it was concerned that a newly-announced Meta "policy may prevent third party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp." The move against the US giant marks the latest move by the 27-nation EU to rein in Big Tech, in the face of strong pushback by the administration of US President Donald Trump. It falls under the bloc's antitrust rules rather than its newly-reinforced digital laws, which Trump has accused of unfairly targeting American firms -- threatening retaliation. EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said the bloc must "act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors." "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space," Ribera said in a statement. The EU says that a new Meta policy announced in October will restrict the ability of AI providers to use a tool in the business version of WhatsApp to communicate with customers. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," the commission statement said. "On the other hand, Meta's own AI service 'Meta AI' would remain accessible to users on the platform." The EU probe covers the European Economic Area, made up of the bloc's 27 states, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway -- with the exception of Italy, which opened a separate investigation into Meta in July. The Italian antitrust body has said that by merging Meta AI with WhatsApp, the US giant may be imposing the use of its AI services on users and channelling its customer base into the emerging market.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta To Likely Face EU Antitrust Probe Over WhatsApp AI Tool: Report - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

The European Union (EU) is planning a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) over how the company introduced its "Meta AI" assistant within WhatsApp, according to a report published Thursday. The European Commission, which is the bloc's top antitrust enforcer, was set to announce the investigation in the coming days, although the timing could shift, the Financial Times reported, citing officials familiar with the matter. EU's Big Tech Crackdown Ramps Up Regulators plan to examine whether Meta's rollout of AI-powered features inside WhatsApp complies with EU competition rules, and unlike several ongoing inquiries related to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), this one will be pursued under the bloc's traditional antitrust framework, according to the FT report. The European Commission and Meta did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment. Meta launched its AI assistant in WhatsApp across Europe in March after earlier delays tied to regulatory complexity. The tool can generate prompts and text suggestions directly in chats. If opened, the EU case would add to a series of recent regulatory actions targeting Big Tech, including DMA-related probes into Google-parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). The commission has repeatedly said it will continue enforcing its digital regulatory regime, even amid criticism from the U.S. and the possibility of pushback from Washington. See also: A Closer Look at Meta Platforms's Options Market Dynamics What's Going On With META Stock? Meta, which also owns social media apps Facebook and Instagram, has been pouring billions of dollars into its AI efforts to compete with its Big Tech rivals. The company's NASDAQ-listed shares have gained 6.74% so far this year, valuing the Mark Zuckerberg-led firm at about $1.6 trillion. They closed down 1.16% at $639.60 on Wednesday. Benzinga's Edge Rankings highlight strong Growth and Quality scores for META, but Value scores remain weak, and price trends across short, medium, and long-term periods are negative. READ NEXT: Steve Bannon, Top Conservatives Demand Trump Crackdown On Big Tech's 'Un-American And Absurd' AI Copyright Tactics Image via Shutterstock AMZNAmazon.com Inc$232.20-0.08%OverviewGOOGAlphabet Inc$320.900.09%GOOGLAlphabet Inc$320.250.19%METAMeta Platforms Inc$640.000.06%MSFTMicrosoft Corp$479.400.35%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

EU to launch antitrust probe into Meta over use of AI in WhatsApp: FT

Brussels is preparing an antitrust probe into Meta over how it introduced Meta AI inside WhatsApp. The European Commission is expected to announce the case soon. Officials say they want to examine the integration closely. The commission could announce the investigation in the coming days, though the timing could shift. Brussels is planning a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms over the rollout of artificial intelligence features within WhatsApp, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside normal business hours. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the upcoming EU probe to the FT. The European Commission was set to open the probe into how the Silicon Valley company integrated its Meta AI system within its popular messaging service earlier this year, the report said, citing two officials. The commission could announce the investigation in the coming days, though the timing could shift, the newspaper said.

EU regulator plans to launch probe into Meta over use of AI in WhatsApp; company calls claims 'baseless'

The European Commission is planning to launch a new antitrust probe into Meta Platforms (META) over the rollout of AI features in WhatsApp, the Financial Times reported. The EU's antitrust regulator was set to open the investigation into how the The probe may increase regulatory scrutiny and could lead to restrictions or penalties that affect Meta's operations and integration of AI services in Europe. Concerns include possible abuse of market dominance by installing Meta's AI service and potentially blocking rival AI chatbots from the WhatsApp platform. Using traditional antitrust rules means the investigation will focus on classic competition issues rather than broader tech sector regulations under the Digital Markets Act, possibly affecting the scope and remedies of the probe.

Meta's WhatsApp AI Features Targeted in EU Antitrust Probe | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. The European Commission announced Thursday (Dec. 4) that it had launched a probe into whether the tech giant's new policy on AI providers' access to WhatApp violates European Union competition rules. Meta's new policy, announced in October, bars AI providers from using a tool allowing businesses to communicate with customers via WhatsApp, the "WhatsApp Business Solution," when AI is the chief service offered. "Businesses may still use AI tools for ancillary or support functions, such as automated customer support offered via WhatsApp," the EC said in its announcement. "The Commission is concerned that such new policy may prevent third party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp in the European Economic Area." A spokesperson for WhatsApp told PYMNTS the claims behind the planned investigation are "baseless." "The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support," the company said. "Even still, the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations and operating systems." Meta introduced the AI feature for WhatsApp in March throughout Europe, after an earlier delay to the rollout, citing the region's regulatory complexities. The feature was created to serve as an AI assistant that can suggest prompts and additional text to complete messages in the chat function. The EC probe follows news from last month that Italy's antitrust regulator had increased its scrutiny of Meta due to concerns that the company could be unfairly wielding its dominant position in the messaging market through its use of AI within WhatsApp. The Italian antitrust authority, AGCM, believes the new AI-driven interaction features inside the app could impede fair competition in the market for AI chatbot services. Regulators are looking into whether these changes could hold back competitors' ability to enter or expand in the space, limit market choice, or hinder technological progress in messaging-based AI tools. Meta was also recently ordered to pay 479 million euros (about $552 million) after a Spanish court found that the company had violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as Spain's antitrust law. Meta has said it would appeal the ruling. These actions come as the Trump administration continues to push the EU to dial back its tech regulations, saying that the DMA and its sister rule the Digital Services Act place disproportionate pressure on American tech giants as these laws apply to companies that surpass specific user-base thresholds.

EU Opens Antitrust Probe into Meta's WhatsApp AI Over Competition Concerns

European Union Antitrust Probe Examines Meta's WhatsApp AI Rules That May Block Rival Tools Across Europe The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms over its integration of artificial intelligence in WhatsApp. The probe focuses on whether Meta's October policy blocks rival AI providers and harms market competition. EU officials say Meta's new rules inside WhatsApp may limit open competition. The case adds to the growing pressure on major tech firms as the European Union pushes for stronger market rules under the Digital Markets Act.

EU hits Meta with antitrust probe over plans to block AI rivals from WhatsApp

BRUSSELS - EU regulators launched an antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms on Thursday over its rollout of artificial intelligence features in its WhatsApp messenger that would block rivals, hardening Europe's already tough stance on Big Tech. The move, reported earlier by Reuters and the Financial Times, is the latest action by European Union regulators against large technology firms such as Amazon and Alphabet's Google as the bloc seeks to balance support for the sector with efforts to curb its expanding influence. Europe's tough stance - a marked contrast to more lenient U.S. regulation - has sparked an industry pushback, particularly by U.S. tech titans, and led to criticism from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The European Commission said that the investigation will look into Meta's new policy that would limit other AI providers' access to WhatsApp, a potential boost for its own Meta AI system integrated into the platform earlier this year. EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the move was to prevent dominant firms from "abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors." She added interim measures could be imposed to block Meta's new WhatsApp AI policy rollout. "AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond," she said. "This is why we are investigating if Meta's new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space." A WhatsApp spokesperson called the claims "baseless," adding that the emergence of chatbots on its platforms had put a "strain on our systems that they were not designed to support," a reference to AI systems from other providers. "Still, the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems." The EU was the first in the world to establish a comprehensive legal framework for AI, setting out guardrails for AI systems and rules for certain high-risk applications in the AI Act. Meta AI, a chatbot and virtual assistant, has been built into WhatsApp's interface across European markets since March. The Commission said a new policy fully applicable from Jan. 15, 2026, may block competing AI providers from reaching customers via the platform. Ribera said the probe came on the back of complaints from small AI developers about the WhatsApp policy. The Interaction Company of California, which has developed AI assistant Poke.com, has taken its grievance to the EU competition enforcer. Spanish AI startup Luzia has also talked to the Commission, a person with knowledge of the matter said. Marvin von Hagen, co-founder and CEO of The Interaction Company of California, said if Meta was allowed to roll out its new policy, "millions of European consumers will be deprived of the possibility of enjoying new and innovative AI assistants." Meta also risks a fine of as much as 10 per cent of its global annual turnover if found guilty of breaching EU antitrust rules. Italy's antitrust watchdog opened a parallel investigation in July into allegations that Meta leveraged its market power by integrating an AI tool into WhatsApp, expanding the probe in November to examine whether Meta further abused its dominance by blocking rival AI chatbots from the messaging platform. The antitrust probe is a more traditional means of investigation than the EU's Digital Markets Act, the bloc's landmark legislation currently used to scrutinize Amazon's and Microsoft's cloud services for potential curbs.

EU Opens Antitrust Probe Into Meta Over WhatsApp AI Policy, Mulls Interim Measures -- 2nd Update

The European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into whether Meta Platforms' rules governing AI developers' access to the WhatsApp messaging platform hurt competition. The European Union's executive branch said a policy that Meta announced this October might breach its competition rules. It said that Meta's new terms stop AI developers from tapping into a specific tool for businesses to communicate with customers on WhatsApp. It said that businesses can still use AI tools for ancillary or support functions. Developers offer their AI assistants through WhatsApp, and users employ them in the app for queries, content creation or customer support. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," the regulator said in a statement, also saying that users could still access Meta's own Meta AI service on the platform. A spokesperson for Meta said the commission's claims are baseless. "The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support," the spokesperson said. The investigation is the latest attempt by the EU to rein in Big Tech, despite strong objections by the Trump administration. The EU watchdog fined Meta 200 million euros ($233.4 million) earlier this year over an alleged breach of the Digital Markets Act, the bloc's legal text governing the digital economy's most powerful players. The commission's investigation will cover all of the European Economic Area bar Italy, where competition regulators started scrutinizing how WhatsApp integrates AI into its platform earlier this year. The Italian watchdog broadened the scope of its probe in November to factor in Meta's new policy, saying it could also impose interim measures--a type of temporary order to prevent a situation from escalating before the end of an investigation. Ribera said on Thursday that her team is also considering interim measures. "It may be that we need to adopt these interim measures so to ensure that this could not blow up the possibility to ensure proper enforcement of the law," said Teresa Ribera, the bloc's top competition enforcer, speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Brussels.

EU Opens Antitrust Probe Into Meta Platforms Over WhatsApp AI Policy, Mulls Interim Measures -- Update

The European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into whether Meta Platforms' rules governing AI developers' access to the WhatsApp messaging platform hurt competition. The European Union's executive branch said a policy that Meta announced this October might breach its competition rules. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," the regulator said in a statement, also saying that users could still access Meta's own Meta AI service on the platform. A spokesperson for Meta said the commission's claims are baseless. "The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support," the spokesperson said. The investigation is the latest attempt by the EU to rein in Big Tech, despite strong objections by the Trump administration. The EU watchdog fined Meta 200 million euros ($233.4 million) earlier this year over an alleged breach of the Digital Markets Act, the bloc's legal text governing the digital economy's most powerful players. It comes after Italy's competition regulator started scrutinizing how WhatsApp integrates AI into its platform earlier this year. The watchdog broadened the scope of its probe in November to factor in Meta's new policy, saying it could also impose interim measures. Speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Brussels Thursday, Teresa Ribera, the bloc's top competition enforcer, said her team is also considering interim measures.

EU considering interim measures against Meta, EU antitrust chief says

BRUSSELS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - EU regulators are considering whether to impose interim measures against Meta over its rollout of artificial intelligence features in its messaging service WhatsApp, EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said on Thursday. Ribera, who had earlier opened an investigation into the U.S. tech giant's policy which will go into effect in January, did not say when she would decide about interim measures. She told reporters that the European Commission had received complaints from small companies about Meta's WhatsApp AI policy.

EU Opens Antitrust Probe Into Meta Platforms Over WhatsApp AI Policy

The European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into whether Meta Platforms' rules governing AI developers' access to the WhatsApp messaging platform hurt competition. The European Union's executive branch said a policy that Meta announced this October might breach its competition rules. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," the regulator said in a statement, also saying that users could still access Meta's own Meta AI service on the platform. A spokesperson for Meta said the commission's claims are baseless. "The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support," the spokesperson said.

EU to Probe Meta Over WhatsApp's AI Features, the FT Says, Citing Sources

--The European Union's antitrust authorities are set to launch an investigation into social-media giant Meta Platforms relating to the use of artificial-intelligence features on its messaging service WhatsApp, the Financial Times reports, citing unnamed sources. --The probe by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, could be announced over the coming days, the FT reports. --Spokespeople for the commission declined to respond to the FT. Meta declined to comment on the probe. Full story: https://shorturl.at/mFzw4 Write to Joshua Kirby at [email protected]; @joshualeokirby