The European Commission formally announced an antitrust investigation into Meta, questioning its new policy on the WhatsApp Business API, which only allows Meta AI to access it while banning third-party general AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot,涉嫌 abusing its market dominance.
New Policy Timeline and Exemptions
- October 2025: WhatsApp will prohibit third-party chatbots with "AI as a core function" from using the Business API.
- January 15, 2026: Services integrated with ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, etc., must exit before the deadline.
- Exemptions: Retailers using AI customer service to answer order inquiries and other "support functions" are not restricted, but pure AI conversation channels are blocked
Key Points of EU Accusations
- Market Access Barriers: With over 2 billion monthly active users globally, WhatsApp has significant traffic advantages in the European Economic Area. The blocking policy would cut off competitors' "key channels" to reach users.
- Uneven Competition: Meta AI continues to be embedded within the chat interface, allowing use without an API, creating a "preference for its own" advantage.
- Structural Risks: Teresa Ribera, vice president for competition, emphasized that without timely intervention, it could cause "irreversible harm" to the AI innovation ecosystem.
Meta's Response: System Load and Competitive Sufficiency
WhatsApp stated in a statement that the Business API "was not designed for chatbots," and a large number of AI requests would "put pressure on infrastructure." It also pointed out that users can still use competitors' AI through the App Store, search engines, and other channels, and the market remains competitive.
Scope of Investigation and Potential Fines
- Coverage: All 27 EU member states except Italy (Italy has already initiated its own investigation to avoid duplication)
- Legal Basis: Article 102 of the EU Treaty and Article 54 of the European Economic Area Agreement — prohibiting abuse of dominant position to exclude competitors
- Maximum Penalty: If found guilty, Meta could face a fine of up to 10% of its global annual revenue, approximately $16.45 billion based on 2024 revenue
Industry and Customer Reactions
OpenAI and Microsoft have announced that they will remove WhatsApp access by January 2026, directing users to independent apps and web versions respectively. European startups Luzia and Poke have submitted complaints to the EU, stating that the blockage would deprive them of their "golden channel to reach millions of users."
Next Steps and Timeline
The EU has not set an investigation deadline; historically, similar cases take an average of 18-24 months. Meta needs to submit preliminary solutions in the coming weeks, or else may face temporary measures, such as being forced to restore third-party API access or suspend further promotion of Meta AI on WhatsApp.
Market Impact
If the EU ultimately rules that Meta violated regulations, WhatsApp may be forced to open the API or face record fines. At the same time, it will set a regulatory benchmark for AI access policies of other super apps (WeChat, Telegram). AIbase will continue to track the investigation progress and potential industry demonstration effects.
