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The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms over its integration of artificial intelligence in WhatsApp. The probe focuses on whether Meta’s October policy blocks rival AI providers and harms market competition.
EU officials say Meta’s new rules inside WhatsApp may limit open competition. The case adds to the growing pressure on major tech firms as the European Union pushes for stronger market rules under the Digital Markets Act.
The investigation focuses on Meta’s policy from October 2025. This policy blocks outside AI firms from using the WhatsApp Business Solution if AI is their leading service. This rule gives Meta’s own chatbot, Meta AI, the strongest position on the platform. EU officials say this could block other AI companies from reaching WhatsApp’s huge user base.
Meta built Meta AI into WhatsApp in March 2025. This update added a virtual assistant and several AI tools directly inside chats. Soon after, many regulators in Europe raised concerns. They feared that Meta had created a setup that leaves rival AI companies with no fair chance to compete.
Italy’s regulator had already started looking into this issue. It stated that Meta may have linked WhatsApp access to its own AI system, which could be considered an abuse of market strength. The new EU investigation now covers the rest of Europe, while Italy continues its own case.
EU officials will use standard antitrust rules for this investigation. They will study how Meta has designed the new AI features and see if the company shuts out rivals through policy changes or technical limits. Officials may also take prompt action if they determine that protecting the market is necessary during the investigation.
Meta says the concerns are unfounded. It claims that its AI rollout enhances the WhatsApp experience and benefits users. The company also states that third-party AI tools may cause technical issues within WhatsApp. Meta has not given a complete response to the new EU action.
The case comes at a time when Europe is stepping up its review of Big Tech. The European Union aims to prevent large companies from using their size to dominate the digital market. Meta has faced several penalties in the past year for other market issues. The new Meta antitrust probe shows that regulators now want the same clarity for AI features.
This case may also shape the future of AI inside messaging apps. Smaller AI companies may struggle to grow if major platforms limit access. Many experts believe that this case will guide global regulators in how they treat AI tools on dominant apps.
This move also follows Meta’s win in the United States. A judge there ruled that Meta does not hold a monopoly in the social media market. However, the ruling does not change Europe’s approach. EU officials plan to continue this investigation under their own laws, as regulators aim for a market that remains open and fair for all AI developers, not just Meta.
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