EU orders Meta to restore WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots
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Key Points:
- The European Union's antitrust regulators have ordered Meta Platforms to restore access to WhatsApp for rival AI chatbot makers until their investigation into Meta's AI policies is complete.
- The EU Commission imposed interim measures to prevent harm to competition in the rapidly growing AI assistant market, citing concerns that Meta's blocking of competitors violates EU law.
- Meta plans to appeal the decision, criticizing it as regulatory overreach that unfairly benefits large companies like OpenAI at the expense of paying European businesses.
- The investigation began after Meta's updated terms for WhatsApp Business customers appeared to restrict third-party AI assistants, leaving only Meta's chatbot available, and Meta's attempt to charge rivals for access was rejected by regulators.
- The EU order will remain until June 2029 or the investigation's conclusion, with Meta facing fines of up to 10% of annual revenue if it fails to comply.