EU orders Meta to restore WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots

In a decisive move to safeguard competition in the burgeoning AI market, the European Commission has formally ordered Meta Platforms to immediately restore free access to its ubiquitous WhatsApp platform for rival artificial intelligence chatbots. This binding interim measure, issued on June 9, 2026, mandates that Meta revert to its pre-October 2025 policy, preventing 'serious and irreparable harm' while a full antitrust investigation proceeds. The EU's intervention follows Meta's controversial decision in October 2025 to ban third-party AI assistants from the WhatsApp Business API, effectively privileging its own Meta AI. While Meta partially relented in March 2026 by re-enabling access, it imposed fees that regulators deemed prohibitive, labeling them equivalent to an access ban. The Commission initiated its formal antitrust probe in December 2025, subsequently issuing Statements of Objections in February and April 2026, underscoring its concerns over Meta's alleged abuse of WhatsApp dominant market position to stifle nascent AI competition. Meta, calling the directive 'regulatory overreach' and arguing it subsidizes major rivals like OpenAI, has swiftly announced its intent to appeal. The interim order will remain in effect until the conclusion of the investigation or June 2029, whichever comes first, with non-compliance potentially triggering fines up to 10% of Meta's annual global revenue. This sets a critical precedent for how regulators intend to curb Big Tech's influence in rapidly evolving AI ecosystems, forcing industry giants to confront the limits of their platform power.