EU Tells Meta To Stop Blocking AI Rivals On WhatsApp, Here's What Happened

Meta’s

WhatsApp could face stronger competition from its rivals. The European Union has ordered the Mark Zuckerberg-led company to allow competing AI chatbots, including those developed by OpenAI, to access WhatsApp's business platform for free, as per Reuters. This decision was announced on Tuesday as a part of the ongoing investigation against the American tech giant on whether the company used its market position to block rivals from reaching users through WhatsApp.

Here’s What Happened

As per Reuters, this probe began last year after complaints were filed by California-based The Interaction Company that makes the Poke.com AI assistant along with French startup Agentik and a Spanish rival. The companies have highlighted that Meta was stopping rival AI services from accessing WhatsApp’s Business API, a tool which allows businesses and services to connect their systems to the instant messaging platform.Earlier this year, EU regulators accused Meta of breaking competition rules. Additionally, concerns were raised in April after Meta brought fees for competitors seeking access to the platform.Meta has reportedly criticised the regulatory body’s decision, and it plans to challenge the decision. The company reportedly suggested that the ruling emphasises its offering access to a service that other businesses normally pay to use.Reportedly, the tech giant also pointed out that consumers can access AI tools through many channels, including websites, mobile apps, operating systems and devices, suggesting that WhatsApp is not the only way AI organisations can reach users.Under the EU order, Meta must restore access to the WhatsApp Business API for rival AI companies within five working days. This access must reportedly be given under the same conditions that existed before October 2025, when Meta first restricted competitors while continuing to allow its own Meta AI service to operate on the platform.The outcome may decide how other tech giants could manage access to their platforms and shape future rules governing competition in the tech industry.