EU Accuses Meta of Hindering AI Competition
The European Commission has taken action against Meta, ordering the company to provide rival AI chatbot developers with free access to WhatsApp under an interim measure issued during an ongoing antitrust investigation.
Brussels argues that competitors may have been disadvantaged after Meta restricted access to the WhatsApp Business API last year, while allowing its own AI service to use the platform without similar limitations. According to regulators, such practices could distort competition in the rapidly expanding AI assistant market.
The move is highly unusual, marking the first time in 17 years that the Commission has imposed an interim measure in a competition case.
Meta said the decision is disproportionate and unfairly benefits rivals at the expense of businesses that pay for WhatsApp Business services. The company has announced plans to appeal.
If the investigation ultimately finds that Meta breached EU competition rules, the technology giant could face a fine of up to 10% of its global annual turnover.