EU Opens Antitrust Probe into Meta's WhatsApp AI Policy

The European Union has launched a formal antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms Inc.'s artificial intelligence (AI) policy for WhatsApp, marking the bloc's latest move to curb Big Tech dominance and threatening a temporary ban on the rollout of new features.

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EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said Thursday she is considering interim measures "to ensure that this could not blow up," speaking to reporters in Brussels. The investigation targets suspicions that WhatsApp AI tools may unfairly prevent rival AI providers from offering business services through the platform, potentially giving Meta's integrated AI system an advantage.

Under EU competition rules, regulators can order temporary halts to suspect business practices, though such demands may be challenged in Luxembourg courts. Eventual fines for breaching antitrust rules can reach 10% of global annual revenue. Meta will now be required to submit solutions to address regulators' concerns.

The probe comes just 10 days after U.S. trade officials visited Brussels and warned that tariffs on EU steel and aluminium could remain if digital rules targeting Big Tech were not watered down, potentially straining transatlantic relations as the Trump administration accuses Brussels of targeting American firms.

Investigation Targets WhatsApp Business API Restrictions

The Commission is examining a Meta policy fully applicable from January 15 next year that may block competing AI providers from reaching customers via WhatsApp. Until October, businesses could deploy AI bots in WhatsApp business-managed chat groups to handle client issues or provide support services, but Meta's new rules could curb such integrations.

Meta integrated its AI system into WhatsApp across European markets in March. The new policy raises concerns that the company could leverage its dominant position to crowd out competitors in the messaging-based AI ecosystem.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Tamlin Bason said the probe "likely targets a quick settlement" and that regulators are "prioritizing the certainty of established competition law to block Meta's conduct" rather than the newer Digital Markets Act. "By flagging this probe as a 'priority' ahead of Meta's January implementation date, the EU likely aims to force a relatively quick resolution," Bason wrote.

Complaints from AI Developers Trigger Probe

Ribera said the investigation came following complaints from small AI developers about the WhatsApp policy. The Interaction Company of California, which owns AI assistant Poke.com, has taken its grievance to EU enforcers. CEO and co-founder Marvin von Hagen said "swift intervention by the commission is of utmost importance," warning that millions of European consumers would be deprived of innovative AI assistants if Meta's policy proceeds.

Spanish AI startup Luzia, which claims more than 85 million users globally, has also filed complaints. "WhatsApp remains a key channel for discovery and access," said Pablo Delgado, Luzia's head of brands and communications. "If this policy remains in place, that gateway will close for millions of users and many businesses that depend on it."

Italy's antitrust watchdog opened a parallel investigation in July and expanded it in November. The Commission said its case would exclude Italy to "avoid an overlap" as the nation's competition authority pursues its own temporary curbs on Meta's plans.

Meta Dismisses Claims as AI Competition Intensifies

A WhatsApp spokesperson called the claims "baseless," stating that AI chatbots on its Business API "puts a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support." The spokesperson added that "the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems."

The Commission said the formal investigation does not prejudge its outcome. Meta has faced mounting EU scrutiny, receiving a €200 million fine in April for allegedly breaching the Digital Markets Act, and a €798 million penalty in November for tying Facebook Marketplace to its social network.

U.S. Opposition Complicates European Tech Crackdown

U.S. President Donald Trump has long criticized EU tech and antitrust regulation impeding American companies. In August, he threatened fresh tariffs and export restrictions on advanced technology and semiconductors in retaliation to digital services taxes hitting US technology firms.

The EU has ramped up pressure on Silicon Valley firms in recent years, seeking to curb potential market abuses as a handful of operators wield significant power across the digital sector. Aside from standard antitrust rules, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has established requirements for major players to prevent anti-competitive behavior.

The probe, though not launched under the DMA, could complicate EU-U.S. talks over tariffs as high as 50%, with the Trump administration accusing Brussels of targeting American companies and calling EU fines a "tax."