Italy Doesn’t Want Meta’s WhatsApp AI Rules
Italy has ordered Meta to pause WhatsApp’s AI restrictions, saying they unfairly block rival chatbots.
Italy has stepped in to challenge Meta over how it controls AI access on WhatsApp. The country’s competition watchdog has ordered Meta to temporarily suspend a policy that blocks rival AI chatbots from operating through WhatsApp’s business tools, arguing that the move could harm competition in the fast-growing AI market.
The order comes from Italy’s Competition Authority (AGCM), which says Meta may be abusing its dominant position by giving its own Meta AI chatbot preferential treatment inside WhatsApp, while shutting the door on competitors.
According to the AGCM, Meta’s policy could restrict innovation and limit market access for other AI chatbot providers. In its words, the restriction may reduce “production, market access, or technical developments” in AI chatbot services, ultimately hurting consumers.
More importantly, the authority believes the damage could be immediate and difficult to reverse. While the broader investigation continues, Italy says allowing Meta’s policy to stand could weaken competition in a market that’s still taking shape one where early advantages can define long-term winners.
Oluwajeminipe Fasheun-Motesho
What Meta Changed and Why It Matters
The issue traces back to October, when Meta updated WhatsApp’s Business API rules. The new policy bans general-purpose AI chatbots from being offered on WhatsApp via the API. That means services like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity would no longer be accessible through WhatsApp’s official business tools starting in January.
Meta has drawn a clear line between customer service bots and general AI assistants. Businesses can still use AI to respond to customers or automate support. What’s not allowed, under the new rules, is using WhatsApp as a distribution channel for standalone AI chatbots that compete directly with Meta AI.
From Meta’s perspective, WhatsApp isn’t meant to function as an AI marketplace. The company argues that its systems weren’t built to support large-scale chatbot distribution and that AI companies already have plenty of other ways to reach users through apps, websites, and partnerships.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
Italy isn’t alone in raising concerns. Earlier this month, the European Commission opened its own investigation into Meta’s WhatsApp policy, questioning whether it unfairly blocks third-party AI providers across the European Economic Area.
That puts Meta in a familiar position: defending its platform decisions against regulators who believe its scale gives it too much power over emerging markets—this time, AI.
Meta has already said it plans to appeal Italy’s decision, calling the ruling “fundamentally flawed” and rejecting the idea that WhatsApp should be treated like an app store for AI services.
The Takeaway
This clash highlights a growing tension in tech: who gets to control access as AI becomes embedded in everyday platforms. WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps in the world, and being locked out of it could significantly limit how rival AI chatbots reach users especially outside the U.S.
For regulators, the concern is about fairness and future competition. For Meta, it’s about system limits and protecting its ecosystem. How this plays out could shape not just WhatsApp’s role in AI, but also how much freedom big platforms have to favor their own tools in an increasingly AI-driven internet.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
