WhatsApp Business and AI Chatbots: What the Antitrust Ban on Meta Means
WhatsApp Business WhatsApp Business is at the center of a crucial decision by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) regarding AI chatbot access to the platform. WhatsApp Business thus becomes a major battleground between regulators, big tech companies, and conversational AI developers.
The case raises important questions about users' freedom of choice and access to dominant digital platforms, especially in emerging markets such as AI chatbots and generalist AI assistants. The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) found that there was a prima facie case and a risk of default, imposing precautionary measures on Meta and requiring it to submit a compliance report within 15 days, pursuant to the’art. 287/1990, Italian antitrust law.
The rationale behind the intervention is typical of emergency measures: to prevent the time required for a final determination from rendering competition protection ineffective, especially in markets with strong network effects, established usage patterns, and lock-in phenomena. In the case of WhatsApp and its integration with Meta AI, the risk is that millions of users will be "pushed" toward a single AI provider, with effects that are difficult to reverse.
WhatsApp Business, Meta AI, and the "AI Providers" Clause: What Happened?
The AGCM's precautionary decision of December 22, 2025, comes at the end of an already complex procedural chronology. On July 22, 2025, the Authority opened an investigation against the Meta group companies for alleged violations of the’art. 102 TFEU, first identifying a possible tie-in between WhatsApp and Meta AI, through the pre-installation of the proprietary artificial intelligence service in the messaging app.
At the same time, with the resolution of November 25, a sub-proceeding was opened for the possible adoption of precautionary measures, aimed at verifying the urgency and prima facie plausibility of the infringement. The AGCM therefore did not simply photograph the conduct, but also aimed to prevent the competitive structure from being altered before the conclusion of the investigation on the merits.
The Authority is targeting a specific contractual clause, called "AI Providers," which prohibits providers and developers of AI technologies—including large language models, generative AI platforms, and general-purpose AI assistants—from accessing or using the WhatsApp Business Solution platform when such technologies represent the primary functionality of the service offered to end users.
Critically, the clause grants Meta, "in its sole discretion," the power to determine whether AI is "primary" or "ancillary." This gives the platform operator discretion in defining the scope of the ban and the permissible scope of use of WhatsApp Business Solution by third-party AI developers.
From a temporal perspective, without the precautionary measure, as of January 15, 2026, end users would no longer have been able to use any AI chatbot service alternative to Meta AI within WhatsApp. In practice, WhatsApp—which in 2025 holds over 601 TP3T of the Italian app messaging market—would have become a closed channel for competing AI chatbots.
Meta AI Integration in WhatsApp and Competitive Advantage
Meta's approach doesn't arise in a competitive vacuum, but rather in a context already marked by the progressive integration of Meta AI into the WhatsApp interface. Users can already, with some limitations, activate chats with third-party AI services by adding them as contacts, but the Meta AI icon and the "Ask Meta AI" function in the search bar remain "absolutely prominent" in the interface.
This pre-installation provides a potential competitive advantage in the AI chatbot and AI assistant market: millions of WhatsApp users automatically become millions of potential Meta AI users, with almost no friction. Attention is a scarce resource, and the privileged position of the circular Meta AI icon, which cannot be removed by the user on the home screen, generates a strong "attention advantage.".
If this visibility asymmetry is combined with the "AI Providers" clause, which effectively excludes competing AI chatbots from the context where users concentrate their daily communications and activities, the market's contestability is drastically reduced. User choice is thus increasingly less open to alternative options and increasingly exposed to inertia and lock-in.
The AGCM's reconstruction identifies a three-phase process: first, the presence of only third-party chatbots on WhatsApp; then, Meta AI's entry under preferential terms; finally, the exclusion of actual and potential competitors, with the prospect that, starting January 15, 2026, only Meta AI would remain as the sole provider of AI Chatbot services on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp Business and the Legal Framework: Precautionary Measures, Fumus and Periculum
From a legal perspective, the measure is based on Article 14-bis of the Italian antitrust law (Law No. 287/1990), which allows the Authority, in cases of urgency and risk of serious and irreparable damage to competition, to adopt precautionary measures if, upon summary examination, it finds a plausible infringement.
The purpose of this measure is to prevent the market from being "closed" by long-standing exclusionary conduct at the end of the investigation, rendering final remedies ineffective. The AGCM also clarifies the territorial scope of its intervention, limited to effects within the national territory, citing the opening of a parallel proceeding by the European Commission relating to the European Economic Area, excluding Italy. This highlights the complexity of enforcement in cross-border digital markets.
On the basis of a prima facie case, the AGCM believes that Meta's conduct constitutes a potential denial of access to competing AI chatbot service providers seeking to use WhatsApp as a channel to reach users. This is in light of Meta's dominant position in the app-based messaging market and the non-contestability of this position, due to network effects and switching costs related to the size of its user base and established habits.
Regarding the danger in mora, the Authority highlights three elements. First, the AI chatbot market is nascent and evolving, and WhatsApp represents a crucial user acquisition channel, especially for new entrants without other established entry points. Second, there is a significant risk of lock-in and resistance to switching to alternative services, given WhatsApp's central role in the digital lives of individuals and businesses. Third, the competitive harm would not be easily neutralized ex post, because the platform's radical exclusion from all AI chatbots other than Meta AI could crystallize a cumulative competitive advantage.
The decision also highlights the "data-driven" nature of generative AI: access to a vast user base and a stream of interactions means more data for training, model improvement, and a stronger competitive advantage. Therefore, the AGCM wants to ensure that users can continue to benefit from the offerings of all generalist AI chatbots currently using WhatsApp, and that new solutions can be developed in the future.
Regarding proportionality, the Authority considers the measure appropriate and limited to what is strictly necessary, deciding at this stage not to adopt the second proposed measure (concerning the further integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp) and requiring Meta to submit a report on the activities carried out to comply with the provision within fifteen days.
WhatsApp Business: Impact on Marketing and Business
For marketers, businesses and developers, what happens on WhatsApp Business It's not just a regulatory issue, but a strategic one. WhatsApp is one of the main channels for customer communication, and whether or not it has access to third-party AI chatbots directly impacts customer experience, automation, and campaign performance.
If a single proprietary AI could dominate the interface, companies would find themselves dependent on a single technology stack, with less freedom to choose language models, automation logic, conversation personalization, and integration with CRM or marketing automation platforms. The plurality of AI Chatbots, however, opens up experimentation, A/B testing, and more advanced segmentation strategies.
For digital marketing, the ability to integrate different AI chatbots on WhatsApp means being able to:
- customize tone of voice and conversational flows for industry and target;
- orchestrate omnichannel journeys where WhatsApp integrates with email, SMS, social media, and the web;
- leverage conversational data for lead scoring, upselling, and retention;
- avoid excessive dependencies on a single AI vendor.
Even on the B2B front, the architectural choices for accessing WhatsApp Business Solution APIs impact the ability of software houses to develop vertical solutions (for retail, finance, hospitality, and public administration) based on AI chatbots. An open ecosystem fosters innovation, quality competition, and more competitive prices for end-user businesses.
In short, the Meta-WhatsApp case directly impacts conversational marketing strategies: from automated lead generation to 24/7 customer care, to the promotion of products and services through guided chat channels. For those building funnels on WhatsApp Business, the ability to freely choose their AI engine is a lever for differentiation and competitive advantage.
How SendApp Can Help with WhatsApp Business and AI Chatbots
In this scenario, specialized platforms such as SendApp become a strategic ally for companies and agencies that want to exploit WhatsApp Business in a compliant, scalable, and marketing-oriented manner. The goal is to combine automation, AI, and conversation management within a framework that complies with platform rules and competition regulations.
With SendApp Official, businesses can access WhatsApp's official APIs to integrate chatbots, automation workflows, and business systems (CRM, ERP, e-commerce). This allows them to centrally manage communication logic while maintaining the flexibility to choose or change the underlying AI engine.
For the operational management of conversations, SendApp Agent It allows you to coordinate teams of human agents and AI Chatbots on WhatsApp Business, with automatic ticket assignment, multi-agent management, and performance monitoring. This way, AI becomes a customer service assistant, not a constraint imposed by the platform.
From a marketing automation perspective, SendApp Cloud It offers advanced flow orchestration features on WhatsApp, audience segmentation, automated campaigns, and API integrations. Companies can build journeys where AI chatbots handle repetitive steps (FAQs, lead pre-qualification, reminders), leaving human consultants with the most valuable moments.
For companies that prefer to work from a desktop, even in the contact center sector, it remains available SendApp Desktop, which simplifies the intensive use of WhatsApp Business from PC, integrating automation and conversation management features.
In an environment where antitrust regulations, API access, and AI chatbot integration on WhatsApp are constantly evolving, choosing a technology partner focused on automation and conversational marketing allows companies to:
- maintain control over your conversational AI strategies;
- remain compliant with platform policies and regulations;
- maximize the potential of WhatsApp Business for lead generation, sales, and support;
- adapt quickly to regulatory and market changes.
For businesses looking to build their own AI Chatbot strategy on WhatsApp today, the next step is to evaluate a professional solution. With SendApp, you can request a dedicated consultation on WhatsApp Business, explore integration with the official APIs, and start a trial of the automation and conversation management features tailored to your business.
