The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Meta's integration of artificial intelligence (AI) features into WhatsApp, reflecting growing concerns over data usage and potential market dominance. The probe will focus on whether Meta's new policies regarding AI providers' access to WhatsApp breach EU competition rules.
Key Concerns
The European Commission is concerned that Meta's policies may prevent third-party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp in the European Economic Area (EEA). Specifically, the investigation will examine Meta's policy that restricts AI providers from utilizing the "WhatsApp Business Solution" when AI is the primary service offered. While businesses can still use AI tools for support functions like automated customer service, the restrictions on core AI services raise concerns about fair competition. The Commission fears that this could unfairly favor Meta's own AI system, "Meta AI," which has been integrated into WhatsApp since March 2025.
EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera stated that the investigation aims to ensure European citizens and businesses can fully benefit from AI and to prevent dominant firms from "abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors". The Commission believes that Meta's new policy, fully applicable from January 15, 2026, may block competing AI providers from reaching customers via the platform. If proven, these practices could breach EU competition rules that prohibit the abuse of a dominant position.
Meta's Response
WhatsApp has called the claims "baseless," with a spokesperson stating that the emergence of AI chatbots on its Business API puts a "strain on our systems that they were not designed to support". The company maintains that the AI space is highly competitive and that users have access to various AI services through app stores, search engines, and other channels.
Features of WhatsApp AI
Meta has integrated its AI technology into WhatsApp, enabling users to interact with AI-driven tools directly within their chats. These features include:
- Meta AI Chat: Users can chat with Meta AI to receive contextual answers and suggestions.
- AI Stickers: Users can create custom stickers to enhance conversations.
- AI-Powered Image Generator: AI can convert text prompts into images.
Data Privacy Concerns
Even with end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp collects metadata, including phone number, device details, usage patterns, location data, and timestamps. This data is shared with other Meta services. Users can take steps to improve their privacy by turning off live location sharing, limiting group invitations, disabling read receipts, avoiding automatic cloud backups, and enabling two-factor authentication.
Other Probes and Fines
The EU's investigation follows a similar probe by the Italian antitrust authority, which is examining allegations that Meta leveraged its market power to integrate AI features into WhatsApp without user consent. In November 2025, the Italian probe was expanded to investigate whether Meta is blocking rival AI chatbots from the messaging platform. Meta was also recently fined 200 million euros for failing to give users proper choice over personal data usage.
Implications
This antitrust probe is a significant step in Europe's effort to regulate how AI is integrated into major communication platforms. With WhatsApp having over two billion users, its AI policies could significantly impact the competitive landscape. The outcome of the investigation could reshape how tech giants approach AI integration in messaging services worldwide.
