The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Meta's integration of AI features within WhatsApp. The EU aims to determine if Meta's AI deployment breaches competition rules, potentially hindering third-party AI innovators.
The probe focuses on a new Meta policy restricting AI providers from using WhatsApp Business Solution to communicate with customers, while Meta's own AI service, Meta AI, remains accessible. The Commission fears this may prevent third-party AI providers from offering services via WhatsApp. The investigation covers the European Economic Area, excluding Italy.
Meta launched its AI assistant in WhatsApp across Europe in March, enabling in-chat text suggestions and prompts. The EU's scrutiny adds to increasing regulatory challenges for Meta in Europe, examining business practices across its apps.
