Meta opens WhatsApp API to rival AI chatbots in Europe

On Thursday, Meta announced a policy change allowing AI companies to offer their chatbots on WhatsApp via its business API in Europe for a 12-month period. The policy change, which went into effect on January 15, marks a temporary reversal of Meta’s previous rules that barred third-party AI chatbot providers from using the WhatsApp Business API. Under the updated policy, developers can now deploy general-purpose AI chatbots on the platform, though the access is currently limited to a one-year window.

The decision is intended to stave off a “major investigation” by the European Commission. By temporarily supporting these general-purpose AI chatbots, Meta aims to address regulatory concerns while the European Union’s executive branch reviews the market. Meta stated, “We believe that this removes the need for any immediate intervention as it gives the European Commission the time it needs to conclude its investigation.” A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that the regulator is currently analyzing the impact of these changes on both its interim measures investigation and its broader antitrust investigation.

However, accessing the WhatsApp Business API will come at a cost for third-party AI developers. Meta will charge providers a fee ranging from €0.0490 to €0.1323 per non-template message—a specific category of message on the WhatsApp Business API subject to fees. Because standard interactions with AI assistants typically require multiple exchanges, this fee structure could prove costly for third-party service providers offering chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Poke. Notably, this policy does not apply to businesses using AI for customer service, such as retail bots that send standard template messages.

The policy shift follows complaints from AI assistant providers who argued that Meta’s previous restrictions were “disrupting their business and the decision was anti-competitive.” These restrictions had already drawn regulatory scrutiny beyond Europe, with antitrust investigations launched in Italy and Brazil. Meta has previously defended its restrictions by arguing that general-purpose AI chatbots strain its systems in ways the WhatsApp Business API was not designed to support. The company has also maintained that the AI space remains highly competitive, noting that users can access their preferred services through other channels, including app stores, search engines, and operating systems.

Why it matters

Meta is opening its WhatsApp Business API to rival AI chatbots in Europe for a 12-month period to address antitrust concerns raised by the European Commission.