Big Tech Shake-Up: EU Forces WhatsApp to Open to Rival AI Chatbots

The EU has ordered Meta to restore access for rival AI chatbots on WhatsApp Business API within five working days, escalating an antitrust crackdown over restrictions on third-party AI tools. The move follows warnings that non-compliance could expose the company to fines of up to 10 percent of global turnover. The probe, launched in December 2025 by the European Commission, came after Meta restricted the platform to its own Meta AI, raising concerns about abuse of dominance in messaging markets. Regulators said the interim order reinstates previous commercial terms to protect competition in fast-moving digital services. Officials emphasized that consumer choice must not be shaped by a single gatekeeper controlling AI access. A separate IMDEA Networks study found that major AI systems including ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Perplexity may still share data with external trackers such as Meta, Google, and TikTok even when users opt out. Meta rejected the ruling, calling it regulatory overreach and confirming plans to appeal, arguing it forces free access to its paid infrastructure for rivals like OpenAI. The dispute highlights growing tension between EU regulators and US tech firms over data power and platform control.