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The EU has warned Meta that it must allow rival AI chatbots to run on its WhatsApp Business platform.
Regulators in Brussels issued a formal “statement of objections” on Monday, accusing the tech giant of abusing its market power.
Last October, Meta updated its rules to effectively ban third-party AI assistants. This move made “Meta AI” the only assistant available within the app.
The European Commission argues that this “walled garden” approach stifles competition. Because WhatsApp is a primary gateway for reaching consumers, blocking rivals could cause “irreparable harm” to the emerging AI market, it claims.
“We cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally leverage their dominance,” said Teresa Ribera, the EU’s competition chief. She warned that Brussels is prepared to impose emergency “interim measures” to force the app back open while the full investigation continues.
Meta has pushed back, calling the EU’s claims “baseless.” A spokesperson for Meta argued that consumers already have many ways to access AI through websites and app stores. The company also claims that third-party bots could “overload” its systems.
The warning comes at a time of high tension between the EU and the US over tech regulation. If Meta is found in breach of antitrust laws, it could face massive fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
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