European Union competition authorities have intensified their investigation into Meta Platforms, raising concerns that the company may be using WhatsApp to limit competition in the fast-growing artificial intelligence market. The European Commission announced that it has issued a formal statement of objections to Meta, a key step in an antitrust investigation that signals regulators believe the company may have violated EU competition laws.

At the center of the dispute is Meta’s decision to restrict which AI services can operate directly within WhatsApp. Regulators are worried that this move could harm rival developers and distort competition in a sector that is becoming increasingly important to the global technology industry. To prevent potential long-term damage, the Commission is considering imposing interim measures that would temporarily require Meta to keep WhatsApp accessible to competing AI providers while the investigation continues.

Such emergency measures are uncommon in EU antitrust enforcement and are typically used only when regulators believe there is a real risk of serious and lasting harm to the market. The Commission’s approach follows similar action taken by Italy’s competition watchdog in late 2025, reflecting growing concern among European regulators about how dominant technology companies are integrating AI into their platforms.

Policy Change Sparks Regulatory Concerns

The investigation focuses on a policy introduced by Meta on January 15 that allows only the company’s in-house assistant, Meta AI, to be integrated into WhatsApp. By limiting access to its own technology, Meta may be leveraging WhatsApp’s enormous user base to strengthen its position in the AI sector, according to regulators.

WhatsApp is one of the world’s most widely used messaging platforms, and access to it can provide a powerful distribution channel for digital services. EU officials fear that excluding third-party AI tools could make it harder for smaller competitors to reach users, potentially slowing innovation and reducing consumer choice.

The Commission has stressed that maintaining open and fair competition is essential as AI tools become more deeply embedded in everyday communication apps. Regulators view messaging platforms as critical gateways through which users discover and interact with new technologies. Any restrictions on access to these platforms can therefore have ripple effects across the broader digital ecosystem.

Meta Defends Its Position

Meta has disputed the Commission’s interpretation of its policy, arguing that the AI marketplace remains highly competitive and that users have many ways to access alternative AI services outside WhatsApp. The company maintains that AI tools are widely available through app stores, operating systems, websites, and partnerships with other technology providers.

According to Meta, the Commission may be overstating the importance of WhatsApp as a primary distribution channel for AI chatbots. The company argues that developers are not dependent on a single messaging platform to reach consumers and that innovation in AI continues to flourish across multiple channels.

Despite these arguments, European regulators remain concerned about the scale and influence of WhatsApp. With billions of users worldwide, the platform represents a significant point of access to digital services. Authorities worry that if Meta restricts integration to its own AI assistant, it could reinforce its dominance and create barriers for independent developers trying to compete in the same space.

Part of a Broader EU Crackdown on Big Tech

The case highlights the European Union’s ongoing efforts to enforce competition rules against some of the world’s largest technology companies. Brussels has built a reputation for taking an assertive stance on digital regulation, frequently investigating major firms over issues to market power, data privacy, and consumer protection.

EU officials have indicated that their final decision on interim measures will depend on Meta’s formal response to the charges and the company’s legal defense. Antitrust investigations of this scale can take considerable time, often involving detailed economic analysis and extensive exchanges between regulators and the company involved.

The issue has also drawn attention outside Europe. In Brazil, a court recently suspended an interim decision by the country’s antitrust authority concerning Meta’s AI practices on WhatsApp. This development illustrates how governments around the world are grappling with similar questions about how to regulate powerful digital platforms in the age of AI.