Italy’s competition authority has told Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, to suspend a new policy that would block rival AI chatbots from working through WhatsApp’s business tools. This decision comes as part of a wider investigation into whether Meta is misusing its market power.
What Was Meta’s Policy Change?
In October 2025, Meta updated the rules for WhatsApp’s Business API, a tool that lets companies integrate software with WhatsApp. The new rules would prevent general-purpose AI chatbots, such as those from OpenAI, Perplexity, and other similar services, from being offered on WhatsApp. (AGCM)
Meta said its business tools were meant for customer service and business tasks, not as a platform for chatbots. The company argued that rival AI services could still be accessed through other channels like app stores and websites.
Why Italy Took Action
The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), which enforces fair competition rules, found enough reason in its ongoing investigation to intervene before the policy takes full effect. The authority said the new terms could:
Reduce choices for consumers
Limit market access for other AI companies
Slow down technical and market development in the chatbot industry
These effects, the regulator said, could harm competition and give Meta an unfair advantage over other AI service providers.
Because of these concerns, the Italian authority ordered Meta to immediately suspend the rules that would block third-party AI chatbots from the WhatsApp platform while its investigation continues.
Meta Responds
Meta disagreed with the Italian decision. A spokesperson called the ruling “fundamentally flawed” and said the WhatsApp Business API was not designed to act as an app store for AI chatbots. Meta said supporting widespread chatbot use on this platform puts pressure on its systems. The company also plans to appeal the decision.
European Investigation Also Underway
Italy’s action is part of a larger trend of European scrutiny on tech companies’ control over digital platforms. The European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, has also started its own investigation into WhatsApp’s AI rules. EU regulators are worried that the policy could stop third-party AI providers from offering their services to users within the European Economic Area (EEA), limiting competition across the region.
What This Means for Users
If the Italian order remains in effect during the investigation:
AI chatbot services like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others could continue to work with WhatsApp through business integrations in Italy.
Developers of chatbot tools may not be blocked from reaching WhatsApp users via the Business API at least for now.
The case could influence how other countries regulate AI and big tech platforms in the future.
Why It Matters
This decision highlights growing concerns that dominant tech companies might limit competition by favouring their own services over rivals. Regulators want to ensure that big platforms like WhatsApp remain open to innovation and fair competition especially as AI becomes a bigger part of everyday technology.