Meta ordered to give rival AI chatbots free WhatsApp access
Key takeaways
- Add ARY News on Google AAResize Meta has been instructed by the European Commission to allow free access to Whats App for chatbots from competing AI providers during the ongoing antitrust investigation.
- Although Meta restored access to rival chatbots “for a fee” in March—potentially breaching EU competition rules—the Commission now mandates that Meta reinstate free access on the same terms as before the ban.
- European Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera stated, “In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is made.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize Meta has been instructed by the European Commission to allow free access to Whats App for chatbots from competing AI providers during the ongoing antitrust investigation. The temporary measure, announced on Tuesday, aims to prevent significant and irreversible harm to competition in the AI assistant market.
This marks only the second time in over 20 years that the EU has employed its emergency powers, according to Politico. It follows a formal probe launched in December 2025 into whether Meta was abusing its dominant market position by blocking third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp.
Although Meta restored access to rival chatbots “for a fee” in March—potentially breaching EU competition rules—the Commission now mandates that Meta reinstate free access on the same terms as before the ban.