Italy Expands Antitrust Investigation Into Meta's WhatsApp AI Integration

Italy Expands Antitrust Probe Into Meta's WhatsApp AI Integration | 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 Italian antitrust authority, AGCM, said the investigation has been extended to include Meta's new WhatsApp Business Solution terms, which were rolled out on October 15. The authority believes the updated conditions and the introduction of new AI-driven interaction features inside the app could impede fair competition in the market for AI chatbot services, according to News.AZ. Regulators are examining whether these changes could restrict competitors' ability to enter or grow in the space, reduce market choice, or hold back technological progress in messaging-based AI tools. Per News.AZ, which cited reporting from Reuters, the watchdog is also evaluating the possibility of imposing interim measures while the inquiry proceeds, focusing on the business terms and the incorporation of Meta's AI capabilities in WhatsApp. Read more: Internal Meta Documents Spotlight Regulatory Void Around Fraudulent Social Media Ads Italy initially launched its probe in July 2025 after raising concerns that Meta may have violated European Union competition laws by integrating its AI assistant into WhatsApp without first securing clear consent from users.

Italian antitrust watchdog widens probe into Meta over WhatsApp AI tools By Investing.com

Investing.com - Italy has widened its investigation into whether Meta abused its market dominance by preventing rival artificial intelligence chatbots from accessing its WhatsApp messaging service, with Rome potentially eyeing interim measures against the tech giant. The country's antitrust authority said on Wednesday that the probe, which it first opened in July, would now cover updated terms of WhatsApp's business platform, which allows firms to manage communications with customers, as well as AI chatbots recently added to the app. Previously, the Italian regulator had accused Meta of folding its AI offerings into WhatsApp without users' consent, possibly impacting rivals in the process. Now, the watchdog said Meta altered the terms of its WhatsApp Business Solution service in October to ban companies from placing AI services on the platform if AI is their central feature. This could effectively shut out competitors from WhatsApp's 37-million user base in Italy and hit rival AI chatbots, the regulator added. A procedure has already begun to slap potential interim measures on Meta, including a suspension of the new terms and moves to limit the integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp, the watchdog said. In a statement cited by Reuters, a spokesperson for WhatsApp rejected the watchdog's claims, calling them "unfounded." The spokesperson added that the interface for WhatsApp's business-focused service was "never designed to be used for AI chatbots and doing so would place severe strain" on the group's systems. "The recent update does not affect the tens of thousands of businesses who provide customer support and send relevant updates, or the businesses using the AI assistant of their choice to chat with their customers," the spokesperson said. Firms deemed to be in breach of European Union competition rules may face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover. The Italian regulator's investigation is set to finish by the end of next year.

Italy competition watchdog broadens probe into Meta over AI tools in WhatsApp

MILAN (Reuters) -Italy's antitrust authority said on Wednesday it has broadened the scope of its investigation into Meta Platforms over allegations the company abused its dominant position through the use of its artificial intelligence tool on messaging service WhatsApp. The Authority has also opened a procedure for the possible adoption of interim measures with respect to the new WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, introduced on October 15, and the integration of new Meta AI interaction tools or features into WhatsApp, it said in a statement. The Italian regulator had started the investigation in July. (Reporting by Elvira Pollina, editing by Gianluca Semeraro)