The European Commission told Meta it must let rival AI assistants back onto WhatsApp within five working days.
Meta’s platform currently blocks third‑party general‑purpose assistants from using the messaging app’s APIs. The interim order, issued Tuesday, says the restriction could cause “serious and irreparable damage to competition” in the AI‑assistant market. Meta said it will appeal the decision.
If the order sticks, developers of open‑source or non‑Meta assistants will regain a massive distribution channel, potentially lowering the cost of entry for new conversational AI services. It also puts pressure on Meta to decouple its own assistant from the WhatsApp ecosystem, a move that could reshape how AI services reach consumers in Europe.
The case is a reminder that regulators are willing to step in when platform owners use their reach to marginalise competitors.