EU Warns Meta Over WhatsApp Rules as AI Competition Comes Under Scrutiny

European Union regulators have warned Meta that they are prepared to step in with temporary measures if the company continues to block rival artificial intelligence services from accessing WhatsApp, raising the stakes in an ongoing competition investigation into the US tech giant.

The European Commission said it has formally accused Meta of abusing its dominant position by restricting access to WhatsApp’s business interface, a move that could limit the ability of competing AI developers to reach users. As part of its response, the Commission signalled it is considering interim measures designed to prevent what it described as serious and potentially irreversible harm to competition while the investigation continues.

At the centre of the dispute is a policy Meta introduced in mid January that allows only its own Meta AI assistant to operate within WhatsApp. Regulators are concerned that this could unfairly advantage Meta in a fast growing and highly competitive market, particularly given WhatsApp’s scale and importance as a communication platform for both consumers and businesses across Europe.

EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said regulators must ensure that dominant technology companies do not use their market power to shut out rivals. She stressed that access to WhatsApp is critical for many developers seeking to distribute new AI tools and that allowing one company exclusive control could distort competition before regulators reach a final decision.

Meta has pushed back strongly against the claims, arguing that the Commission’s concerns are misplaced. The company says developers and consumers have numerous alternative ways to access AI services, including through app stores, operating systems, websites and partnerships with device makers. It also disputes the idea that WhatsApp’s business interface represents a crucial gateway for AI chatbots to reach users.

The Commission said its final decision on whether to impose temporary restrictions will depend on Meta’s formal response and its ability to defend the policy under EU competition law. Interim measures are relatively rare but are used when regulators believe waiting for a full ruling could allow lasting damage to occur in the meantime.

The case highlights the EU’s increasingly aggressive approach to policing big technology companies, even as European actions continue to draw criticism from the United States. Brussels has made clear it intends to enforce competition rules rigorously in emerging digital markets, including artificial intelligence, where early advantages can quickly become entrenched.

Similar tensions have already surfaced outside Europe. In December, Italy’s competition authority ordered temporary measures against Meta over the same WhatsApp policy, though a Brazilian court later suspended a comparable move by regulators there. Those developments underline the global nature of the debate over how far platforms should be allowed to integrate their own AI products into widely used services.

For Meta, the outcome could have broader implications for how it rolls out AI features across its platforms. For regulators, the case will be closely watched as a test of whether existing competition tools are sufficient to address the rapid convergence of messaging, data and artificial intelligence in the digital economy.