Italy Orders Meta to Open WhatsApp to Rival AI Chatbots
Meta Platforms has been ordered by Italy’s competition authority to temporarily lift restrictions that prevent rival AI chatbots from operating through WhatsApp, as regulators investigate potential abuse of the company’s dominant position in the messaging market.
The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) warned that Meta’s policy could harm competition, limit innovation, and restrict market access for other AI providers.
Why Italy Is Intervening
The AGCM said Meta’s integration of its own AI chatbot into WhatsApp may give it an unfair advantage while excluding competitors, potentially reducing “production, market access, or technical developments” in AI services.
The regulator described the impact as immediate and difficult to reverse, emphasising that early dominance in the still-emerging AI chatbot market could shape long-term winners.
What Meta Changed in WhatsApp and Why
In October, Meta updated WhatsApp’s Business API rules, banning general-purpose AI chatbots from operating through the platform.
Services such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity would no longer be accessible via WhatsApp’s official business tools starting January 2025.
Meta distinguishes between customer service bots, which remain permitted, and standalone AI assistants that compete with Meta AI.
A Meta spokesperson said the decision was “fundamentally flawed” and argued that “the emergence of AI chatbots put a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support.”
The company also stressed that WhatsApp is not intended to function as an AI marketplace and that other channels are available for AI companies to reach users.
Meta plans to appeal the Italian order.
Is This Part of a Wider European Scrutiny
Italy is not alone in examining Meta’s AI practices.
Earlier this month, the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into WhatsApp, questioning whether the platform unfairly blocks third-party AI providers across the European Economic Area.
The AGCM said it will coordinate with the European Commission to address Meta’s conduct “in the most effective manner.”
The case follows broader scrutiny of major U.S. tech firms in Europe.
Earlier this week, the Italian competition authority fined Apple €98 million for abuse of a dominant position, while the European Commission has fined Elon Musk’s social media company X €120 million.
Investigations are also ongoing into Google, Meta, Microsoft, and others over competition and AI-related concerns.
What This Means for Competition and Users
Italy’s intervention highlights the tension between platform control and market fairness in the AI era.
With WhatsApp serving over three billion users globally, excluding rival AI chatbots could significantly limit how these services reach users, particularly outside the U.S.
Regulators are focused on preserving competition, while Meta emphasises protecting its ecosystem and managing system limits.
The AGCM opened its investigation in July 2025, expanding it in November to examine Meta’s updated WhatsApp terms.
It concluded that Meta’s policy “appears to constitute an abuse, since it may limit production, market access or technical developments in the AI Chatbot services market, to the detriment of consumers.”
The interim order ensures competitors can access WhatsApp while the probe continues, aiming to prevent “serious and irreparable harm to competition in the affected market.”
Meta Faces Wider Regulatory Pressure in Europe
Beyond competition law, Meta is under scrutiny for compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act.
The company has already appealed a €200 million fine under the bloc’s competition rules over subscription and ad policy practices.
Other investigations focus on content moderation, data access for researchers, and concerns about platform addiction for minors.
This clash between Meta and European regulators signals the growing challenge of balancing innovation, platform control, and fair competition as AI becomes central to everyday digital services.
Hui Xin
Alex
Kikyo