Meta Faces EU Antitrust Charges Over WhatsApp AI Restrictions

Meta Platforms Inc (META, Financials) came under fire as European Union regulators charged the company with breaching antitrust laws by allegedly blocking rival AI services from integrating with its WhatsApp messaging platform.

The European Commission's complaint targets Meta's handling of the WhatsApp Business API, which regulators argue could be a crucial channel for chatbot developers and AI services. Authorities are considering interim measures to halt the conduct while the investigation proceeds.

Meta disputed the Commission's premise. In a statement, a company spokesperson said the API is not essential to AI distribution, citing other access points through operating systems, devices, websites, and app stores. Meta added that the EU's logic incorrectly assumes WhatsApp is a gatekeeper for chatbot adoption.

The study is part of the EU's larger effort to make sure that digital marketplaces are fair, especially as generative AI technology grow more used in business tools and messaging applications.

The verdict puts more regulatory pressure on Meta, which is already being looked at for its dominance in social media and advertising. Investors will keep an eye on what happens as the corporation deals with legal issues and grows its AI projects on all of its platforms.