Europe launches antitrust inquiry into Meta's use of AI in WhatsApp

Dec. 4 The European Union has launched an antitrust probe targeting Meta over its potential use of artificial intelligence features within the WhatsApp messaging service. The European Commissions investigation, announced Thursday, aims to determine whether Metas policy granting AI providers access to WhatsApp may violate the blocs competition laws.

"It is crucial that European users and businesses fully benefit from technological advancements while preventing dominant digital companies from exploiting their position to stifle innovative competitors," stated Teresa Ribera, EU Commissioner for Competition.

A representative for WhatsApp dismissed the allegations as unfounded, emphasizing that its application programming interface is not equipped to support AI chatbots and attempting to do so would overburden its systems. "The AI market is extremely competitive, and users can choose from numerous services across app stores, search engines, email platforms, partnerships, and operating systems," the company, owned by Meta, explained to CNBC.

In October, Meta implemented a policy forbidding AI providers from using a feature that allows businesses to contact customers via WhatsApp if AI is the primary functionality. European regulators raised concerns that this could hinder third-party AI developers from offering their services within the European Economic Area.

The EUs inquiry follows a $3 billion fine imposed on Google for antitrust breaches in digital advertising and comes amid separate EU actions against Meta and TikTok over transparency requirements under the Digital Services Act. The investigation will cover the entire European Economic Area, with Italy conducting a parallel inquiry to prevent overlapping issues concerning Metas business practices.

In a related development, former U.S. President Donald Trump cautioned European nations against enforcing measures he described as "discriminatory," citing potential retaliatory tariffs against American tech companies.

Analysis: EU Antitrust Probe into Meta's AI Practices on WhatsApp

The European Union's antitrust investigation into Meta reflects growing scrutiny over how dominant tech companies implement artificial intelligence features within widely used platforms like WhatsApp. The inquiry specifically examines whether Meta's policies granting AI providers limited access to WhatsApp violate competition laws in the European Economic Area.

Meta maintains that its platform cannot support AI chatbots at this time, and that the AI market remains competitive with many alternatives available to users. However, EU regulators are concerned that restrictions on AI providers could limit market access and innovation.

This probe is part of a broader EU effort to enforce digital competition and transparency, following major fines against Google and ongoing investigations into other tech giants. The outcome may set precedent for how AI integration is regulated in communication platforms across Europe.

Italy's parallel investigation underscores the EU's coordinated approach to prevent overlapping legal actions while ensuring compliance with competition rules. The case will also be watched closely in the U.S., where political voices have expressed concerns over potential retaliatory measures against American tech companies.

Sources:

• Meta facing antitrust inquiry in Europe over AI use in WhatsApp