3 hours ago
It’s an interim measurement while nan European Commission investigates nan ban.
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The European Union has ordered Meta to unfastened WhatsApp to AI chatbots from rival companies again, for free, arsenic it investigates nan messaging app's proprietor complete imaginable antitrust violations. Meta introduced a caller argumentation successful October 2025 that banned third-party AI chatbots from the WhatsApp for Business API, making Meta AI nan only chatbot that tin entree nan service. Before nan ban, companies could nonstop notifications done WhatsApp, specified arsenic bid alerts, utilizing different AI assistants.
EU officials opened an antitrust investigation into nan caller argumentation successful December and past warned nan institution earlier this twelvemonth that it tin return interim measures against it. In its announcement, nan committee explained that Meta has held a ascendant position successful nan European messaging app marketplace since astatine slightest 2023. As such, Meta seems to beryllium abusing its ascendant position by preventing competing AI assistants from utilizing nan WhatsApp API.
It besides mentioned that Meta revised its argumentation successful early March, allowing third-party AI assistants to entree WhatsApp for a fee. However, nan committee didn't position nan connection of paid entree arsenic preferable to nan outright ban. The committee believes there's an "urgent need" to instrumentality measures to forestall imperishable harm to nan marketplace while its investigation is ongoing.
With this order, Meta is required to reconstruct its position and conditions for third-party AI assistants for WhatsApp earlier it implemented nan argumentation alteration successful October 2025. Further, nan interim measurement it imposed connected nan institution must enactment successful spot until it's done pinch its investigation. "In quickly evolving markets, title tin beryllium mislaid agelong earlier a last determination is adopted," said EU title main Teresa Ribera. According to nan Wall Street Journal, she besides told journalists astatine a property arena that she thought nan interest Meta was asking for third-party entree was excessively high. Meanwhile, Meta told nan Journal it would entreaty nan decision. The institution based on that nan EU's bid was a regulatory overreach that would assistance immoderate of nan world's largest companies entree to nan WhatsApp Business API without paying.
