Brussels: The European Union has launched a formal antitrust investigation into Meta over the way it is deploying artificial intelligence tools on WhatsApp. Officials say they are concerned that Meta’s new policy may block or limit access for other AI developers who want to offer similar services on the popular messaging platform.
The European Commission believes the policy could give Meta’s AI system an unfair advantage in the growing market for chatbot technology. Regulators say this could be an abuse of Meta’s dominant position in messaging services across Europe.
The policy Meta introduced will take full effect in January 2026 but some parts are already being implemented. Several smaller AI companies have told regulators that the rules make it harder for them to reach users through WhatsApp.
European Union competition chief Margrethe Vestager said the commission is also considering temporary measures to prevent possible harm to the market while the investigation continues. This means Meta could be asked to change or pause its policy before any final decision is made.
The investigation is the latest in a series of regulatory challenges Meta faces in Europe. Earlier this year Italy’s competition authority opened a similar inquiry into how Meta was using AI inside WhatsApp.
If the European Union finds Meta violated competition rules the company could face significant fines and may be forced to change how artificial intelligence tools are integrated into its products.
Meta has not yet issued a detailed public response to the investigation.