WhatsApp ordered to host rival AI assistants for

Meta has been ordered by the European Commission to reconstruct free WhatsApp entree for chatbots made by rival AI providers while the regulator finishes its antitrust investigation. The uncommon interim measurement announced connected Tuesday was deemed basal “to forestall superior and irreparable harm to competition” successful the general-purpose AI adjunct market.

This is only the 2nd clip that the EU has utilized the emergency powerfulness successful much than 20 years, Politico reports. It follows the launch of a general investigation successful December 2025 into whether Meta was abusing its marketplace power by banning third-party AI chatbots from its WhatsApp messaging platform. Meta later restored entree to rival chatbots “for a fee” successful March, seemingly successful violation of EU title rules. Now, the Commission is ordering Meta to reinstate WhatsApp entree for third-party AI rivals nether the aforesaid position and conditions that were successful spot earlier the ban, which was “notably free of charge.”

“In quickly evolving markets, title tin beryllium mislaid agelong earlier a last determination is adopted. This is why these interim measures will stay successful spot for the long of the investigation, successful bid to forestall harm that would beryllium almost intolerable to repair,” European title commissioner Teresa Ribera said successful a statement. “These interim measures will safeguard title successful the increasing marketplace for AI assistants, by preserving a cardinal introduction constituent to scope consumers successful Europe – WhatsApp – and allowing AI companies to innovate, standard up and scope their afloat potential.”

Meta has until June 15th to comply. The broader antitrust investigation is still ongoing, pinch nary day group for a ineligible conclusion. If Meta ignores the order, it could look fines of up to 10 percent of yearly revenue, aliases astir $20 billion, based connected 2025 earnings.

In a connection to Politico, a Meta spokesperson rejected the lawsuit arsenic baseless and said the institution plans to entreaty the order:

“The European Commission has decided that OpenAI and immoderate of the largest companies successful the world tin usage the paid-for WhatsApp Business merchandise for free. This is regulatory overreach subsidised by the galore European companies that pay.”