The European Commission has taken an unusually swift step against Meta by concluding, preliminarily, that the company It could be abusing its dominant position with WhatsApp by restricting access for third-party artificial intelligence (AI) assistants to its business service. Brussels believes that the new model implemented by the multinational threatens to permanently alter competition in the European AI assistant market.
The European Commission believes that Meta's decision to leave as The only available option is their own Meta AI tool within WhatsApp This poses a risk of "serious and irreparable harm" to rivals and users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Therefore, it has sent a statement of objections to the company and announced its intention to impose provisional measures while the formal investigation continues.
What Brussels criticizes Meta for regarding WhatsApp and artificial intelligence
According to the Commission, the origin of the conflict lies in the updating of the terms of use of WhatsApp Business Solution announced by Meta on October 15, 2025. This policy change effectively prohibits the use of third-party, general-purpose AI assistants in the application, directly impacting companies whose core service relies on conversational AI tools.
From January 15, 2026, the date on which the update fully came into effect, Meta AI has become the only authorized AI assistant on WhatsAppThe remaining AI solutions, which until now could be integrated to interact with customers through WhatsApp Business, have been excluded. Brussels interprets this situation as transforming the messaging app into a closed channel for competition.
For the Commission's Competition services, WhatsApp functions as a key entry point so that AI assistants can reach European consumers
In its initial assessment, the Commission maintains that Meta It holds a dominant position in the consumer communication applications market in the EEAprimarily thanks to WhatsApp's size and influence. The suspicion is that the company is leveraging this power to favor its own AI technology, while simultaneously restricting other players' ability to compete on a level playing field.
Formal investigation, charges filed, and possible abuse of dominant position
The EU inquiry was officially launched in December 2025, following the first signs that the new policy of WhatsApp Business prevented AI providers from communicating with their customers through the platform when artificial intelligence is at the core of its offering. In just two months, the Commission has gone from examining the issue to formulating a statement of objections, an unusual pace in traditional competition proceedings.
In that document, the European Executive sets out its preliminary view: there are indications that Meta would be abusing its dominant position by denying other companies access to WhatsApp.including those developing general-purpose AI assistants. Closing the platform to competitors, to the benefit of Meta AI, could violate Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement, which prohibit abuse of dominant position with an impact on trade within the single market.
Competition experts stress that Meta's conduct "risks blocking the entry or expansion" of other players in the artificial intelligence assistant marketa segment they consider particularly dynamic and strategic. If only one company can use WhatsApp as a channel for its AI tools, the space for other developments to scale is significantly reduced.
The Commission also recalled that The statement of charges does not determine the final outcome of the case in advance.Meta has the opportunity to respond, submit arguments, provide evidence, and propose solutions. Only after this phase will a decision be made on whether the violation is confirmed and, if so, what sanctions or structural or behavioral remedies will be imposed.
The procedure affects the entire European Economic Area except Italy, where the national competition authority already imposed it in December 2025. specific precautionary measures against Meta for this same matterBrussels is coordinating its actions with national agencies, but has opted for its own European-level investigation given the size of WhatsApp and the potential impact on the entire single market.
Provisional measures and fear of irreparable damage to competition
One of the most striking elements of the case is the Commission's decision to move towards the adoption of provisional measures even before closing the investigationThe European Commission believes there is an "urgent need" to act to prevent harm that, if prolonged, could be impossible to reverse with a simple fine or subsequent obligations.
Brussels warns that Meta AI's exclusivity raises barriers to entry and marginalizes smaller competitors.These companies lack the resources of a tech giant to withstand a prolonged WhatsApp shutdown. The identified risk is that, by the time a final sanction is imposed, many competitors will have been left behind and the market will already be highly concentrated.
The Commission relies on Article 8 of its competition rules to to impose precautionary measures when, at first glance, there are indications of infringement And there is a risk of serious and irreparable harm to competition. Options include, for example, temporary orders requiring Meta to reopen access for third-party AI assistants to WhatsApp Business while the in-depth analysis is completed.
Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for competition, has argued in several public statements that "Effective competition must be protected" in a sector as dynamic as AI.In his opinion, the "incredible innovations" that this technology offers consumers will only be sustained if the market remains open and there are multiple accessible options for users and businesses.
Ribera also pointed out that the experience of historical cases against large technology companies, such as the Microsoft cases for the integration of Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player into Windows, has taught the Commission that Arriving years late reduces the effectiveness of any sanctionHence the effort to react more quickly in the digital sphere, even when using traditional competition rules and not just the new Digital Markets Regulation (DMA).
WhatsApp's role in the European AI assistant market
In its analysis, the European Commission assigns WhatsApp a central role in the way in which Artificial intelligence assistants reach the end userThe popularity of the messaging app in Spain and the rest of Europe makes it a virtually indispensable channel for companies that want to offer automated customer service, advanced chatbots or conversational support solutions.
If the only possible integration is with Meta AI, Alternative providers lose a direct route to reach millions of peopleThis limitation affects both established companies and smaller startups trying to carve out a niche with specialized services, whether in sectoral niches or with their own technologies better adapted to certain needs.
Brussels fears that, over time, this exclusivity would consolidate a market-closing effect: Users would get used to using only Meta's AI on WhatsAppThis would reduce their exposure to other proposals, and rival companies would see their growth opportunities restricted. In practice, the US company's position would be further strengthened, not only as a communications platform but also as an artificial intelligence provider.
For the European Commission, the problem is not limited to competition between companies, but has direct implications for Diversity and innovation in the European digital ecosystemIf fewer players can compete, the pressure to improve products, adjust prices, or develop solutions tailored to the specificities of the European market is reduced, including issues such as language, privacy, or the specific needs of SMEs.
In this context, the Commission presents its intervention as part of a broader strategy to to monitor the behavior of large digital platforms and ensure a level playing field. Previous cases with companies Apple and Meta in other digital areas show that Brussels is willing to act when it detects practices that could close the market or excessively restrict users' choices.
Meta's defense and the legal framework of the case
Meta, for its part, maintains that There is no reason for the European Union to intervene in the WhatsApp Business interface.The company argues that multiple artificial intelligence options are available to users through other channels, such as app stores, operating systems, devices, websites, or various industry associations, so its policy on WhatsApp would not impede global access to rival AI solutions.
The parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp emphasizes that He has the right to respond to the charges and to defend himself. before any provisional measures are adopted or any final sanction is imposed. Along these lines, it may argue that its conduct does not effectively close the market, that real alternatives exist for AI providers, or that the changes to WhatsApp Business are based on legitimate reasons, such as security or user experience control.
From a legal standpoint, the Commission has made it clear that The case is based on traditional competition rulesSpecifically, the 2002 regulation and its subsequent amendments, and not the new Digital Markets Regulation (DMA). Although the latter allows for faster action against the behavior of large platforms, Brussels has opted for the classic antitrust approach, focused on the abuse of a dominant position.
The case is thus built on two pillars: on the one hand, the finding that Meta holds significant power in the messaging services market in the EEA via WhatsApp; on the other hand, there is suspicion that it has used that power to favor its own artificial intelligence assistant and exclude competitors. If this interpretation is confirmed, both substantial fines and specific obligations to reopen the platform could be imposed.
Meanwhile, the Commission insists that There is no set deadline for concluding the investigation.However, he justifies his desire to move quickly by citing the rapid pace of evolution in the AI ​​sector. The immediate priority is to prevent the AI ​​assistant market from becoming irreversibly dominated by a single company before European authorities have finalized their decision.
With this procedure, Brussels is once again focusing on the relationship between large technology platforms and competition in Europe, this time with artificial intelligence and WhatsApp at the center of the debate. What is at stake, as the Commission itself admits, is whether a company with a dominant messaging service can exclusively reserve an emerging market like that of AI assistants Or, on the contrary, should it keep its channels open to rival suppliers to ensure more options, more innovation, and a European digital ecosystem less dependent on a single player?
