WhatsApp Required to Offer Competing AI Assistants at No Cost

Meta has been instructed by the European Commission to reinstate free access to WhatsApp for chatbots developed by competing AI providers while the regulator continues its antitrust investigation. This unusual interim measure, announced on Tuesday, aims to prevent significant and irreversible harm to competition in the general-purpose AI assistant market.

This marks only the second instance in over two decades that the EU has invoked such emergency powers. The action follows a formal investigation launched in December 2025, examining whether Meta was misusing its market power by prohibiting third-party AI chatbots from utilizing its WhatsApp platform. In March, Meta had restored access to rival chatbots “for a fee,” which appeared to contravene EU competition regulations. The Commission is now mandating that Meta restore WhatsApp access for third-party AI competitors under the same terms that existed prior to the ban, which notably included free access.

“In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is reached. This is why these interim measures will remain in effect throughout the investigation, to prevent damage that would be nearly impossible to rectify,” stated European competition commissioner Teresa Ribera. “These measures will protect competition in the expanding AI assistant market by maintaining a crucial entry point to consumers in Europe—WhatsApp—allowing AI companies to innovate, grow, and realize their full potential.”

Meta has until June 15th to comply with the order. The broader antitrust investigation is still in progress, with no timeline for a legal resolution. Should Meta disregard the order, it could incur fines of up to 10 percent of its annual revenue, which could amount to around $20 billion based on 2025 earnings.

In response, a Meta spokesperson dismissed the case as unfounded and indicated the company intends to appeal the order, stating, “The European Commission has decided that OpenAI and some of the largest companies in the world can use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free. This is regulatory overreach subsidized by the many European companies that pay.”