The European Union has ordered Meta to provide rival AI chatbots with free access to its WhatsApp platform within five working days, as part of an ongoing antitrust investigation. This directive comes after Meta was found to have blocked access for AI providers other than its own Meta AI, a policy change implemented in October 2025 that 'effectively' barred third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp [1].
Meta has announced its intention to appeal the EU's order, arguing that the measure constitutes 'regulatory overreach subsidised by the many European companies that pay.' The company had previously introduced an access fee for competitors, but the European Commission rejected this remedy in April, stating that the fee was 'in practice equivalent to the previous access ban' [1].
EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera emphasized the urgency of the interim measures, stating that they are necessary to 'prevent serious and irreparable harm to competition in this growing market by Meta's conduct, which at first sight infringes EU competition rules.' The commission highlighted the need to protect the 'growing market for general-purpose AI assistants' and to ensure that smaller players and new entrants have the opportunity to compete with large incumbents like Meta [1].
If Meta fails to comply with the interim measures, the commission has the authority to impose a fine of up to 10 percent of Meta's total turnover in the business year preceding the infringement. The EU's investigation has no legal deadline for completion, and the last time such interim measures were used was in 2019, according to Ribera [1].
The EU's order aims to restore third-party AI assistants' access to WhatsApp under the same conditions as before the October 2025 policy change, ensuring that EU citizens can choose which AI chatbots they prefer to use on the platform [1].
CONCLUSION
The EU's intervention signals a significant escalation in its efforts to regulate Big Tech and promote competition in the AI chatbot market. Meta faces substantial regulatory and financial risks if it does not comply, while the decision could open new opportunities for rival AI providers in Europe.