Meta will allow AI chatbot providers to offer services on WhatsApp in Europe for the next 12 months via its business API.
The policy reversal aims to stave off a major antitrust investigation by the European Commission. Meta had previously barred third-party AI providers from the WhatsApp Business API, prompting regulatory scrutiny in the EU, Italy, and Brazil. The fee-based access could impact the operational costs for rival AI developers.
Meta will charge fees ranging from €0.0490 to €0.1323 per “non-template message” depending on the country. The company stated this removes the need for immediate intervention by regulators. Meta believes this gives the European Commission time to conclude its investigation.
The European Commission is analyzing the impact of these changes on its interim measures and broader antitrust investigations. A Commission spokesperson confirmed the analysis in an emailed statement. The Commission had previously told Meta it intended to impose interim measures to stop the policy implementation.
Meta announced the original policy change in October, which went into effect on January 15. The implementation spurred complaints from AI assistant providers regarding business disruption and anti-competitive behavior. Regulators including the EU, Italy, and Brazil launched investigations, noting Meta offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, on the platform.
The policy does not apply to businesses using AI to serve customers via templatized messages. Only specific AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Poke are prohibited from API access. WhatsApp previously argued that AI chatbots strain systems in ways the Business API was not designed to support.
Meta previously allowed developers to offer chatbots via its API in Italy in January. The company stated that the AI space is highly competitive and users have access to services via app stores and search engines. Meta previously told TechCrunch that users have access to services through partnership integrations and operating systems.
