EU Orders Meta to Open WhatsApp to Rival AI Chatbots

Europe has drawn another line in the sand in its ongoing battle with Big Tech. This time, the spotlight is on Meta after regulators warned the company that it must allow rival AI chatbots to access WhatsApp, a platform the European Commission believes Meta dominates across the region.

The warning lands at a moment where Europe is tightening its grip on competition rules and sharpening its enforcement tools. With AI assistants becoming a major new battleground for tech companies, the Commission is pushing to ensure the next era of digital innovation does not become locked behind the walls of a single corporation.

Why WhatsApp Became Ground Zero

According to the European Commission, Meta quietly changed its terms in January in a way that effectively blocked third party AI assistants from connecting with users on WhatsApp. Regulators argue that this could give Meta an unfair head start in the booming AI chatbot sector by limiting how competitors reach customers on one of Europe’s most widely used messaging platforms.

Competition chief Teresa Ribera has signalled that the EU may move quickly. She warned that the Commission is considering interim measures to prevent Meta’s policy from causing what she called irreversible harm to competition.

Meta Pushes Back

Meta has rejected the Commission’s findings and insists there is no need for intervention. The company argues that developers have plenty of alternative ways to distribute AI tools, from app stores to websites. According to Meta, the Commission is wrong to assume the WhatsApp Business API is a crucial distribution channel in the emerging market for AI assistants.

Meta now has an opportunity to formally respond to the EU’s objections, which is part of the standard antitrust process.

Another Chapter in Europe’s Tech Crackdown

This case is not happening in isolation. Europe has been steadily tightening regulation on major tech companies, especially since the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act. For Meta, this is one of several active investigations, including probes into Facebook and Instagram relating to child safety and the addictive design of social platforms.

The company is also still appealing a 200 million euro penalty imposed under EU competition rules over its subscription versus ad funded service model. Discussions between Brussels and Meta are ongoing, as regulators seek alternatives that better align with European digital rights principles.

A Wider European Moment

The WhatsApp investigation applies across the European Economic Area, except Italy, which launched its own case last year. The move reflects Europe’s broader push to reshape the digital economy, even as it faces resistance from the administration of US President Donald Trump and the wider American tech lobby.

With no legal deadline for the probe, this story is far from over. What is clear for now is that Europe wants a competitive AI landscape and is willing to challenge one of the world’s biggest tech companies to get it.

{Source:EWN}

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