The European Commission has said it intends to order Meta Platforms to reinstate rival artificial intelligence assistants on WhatsApp, following concerns that a new access fee introduced by the company could restrict competition in violation of EU rules.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Commission said Meta’s revised policy “appears at first sight to be in breach of EU competition rules,” adding that it believes the changes could exclude third-party AI assistants from the messaging platform.
The EU executive said it would impose interim measures to prevent “serious and irreparable harm to competition” while its investigation continues. These measures would require Meta to restore access for third-party AI assistants under the same conditions that existed before October 15, 2025.
Meta had previously informed regulators that it would allow rival AI assistants on WhatsApp for a limited period of one year, but only under a paid access model. The company had initially considered fully banning third-party AI chatbots from WhatsApp Business before revising its approach.
A Meta spokesperson criticised the EU’s position, arguing that the proposed intervention would force businesses using WhatsApp Business to effectively subsidise competing AI services.
“The European Commission is proposing to use its regulatory powers to enable some of the largest companies in the world to use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free,” the spokesperson said, adding that small businesses should not have to bear the cost of competing AI firms.
Meta also warned that the policy could unfairly shift costs onto small European businesses, such as local retailers using WhatsApp to process customer orders.
The investigation has also expanded to Italy, where the country’s competition authority has already opened a separate probe into the matter.
The dispute highlights growing regulatory scrutiny in Europe over how large tech companies integrate artificial intelligence tools into dominant digital platforms and whether such practices may limit market access for competitors.
