Meta is giving rival AI chatbot developers free access to WhatsApp for a month as it works to resolve an EU antitrust investigation that could lead to a major penalty.
Meta said this temporary offer is for “general-purpose AI chatbots” in the European Economic Area. This move could help Meta avoid a fine of up to 10% of its yearly global revenue.
This offer follows the European Commission’s signal in April that it might require Meta to let rival AI chatbots use WhatsApp.
Reuters reported that the situation escalated after Meta introduced a policy on January 15 that allowed only its own Meta AI assistant on WhatsApp.
In March, Meta changed its policy and said competitors could use WhatsApp for a fee. This led to a second EU charge sheet.
A one-month window to calm regulators
Meta said the free-access offer is meant to buy time for negotiations with Brussels.
Reuters quoted a Meta spokesperson as saying the move would give the Commission and Meta time to reach a quick and fair outcome to the investigation.
The Straits Times carried the same statement and said the free access would run through the WhatsApp Business API for one month.
The European Commission welcomed Meta’s move but did not treat it as a final settlement.
Commission spokesperson called the offer a step in the right direction and said it created adequate conditions to discuss commitments that could address the EU’s concerns.
The spokesperson also said the discussion period would be short and would depend on Meta’s genuine intention to resolve the issues.
The case centers on access to a key messaging platform
The main issue is whether Meta used its control of WhatsApp to give its own AI assistant an advantage over competitors.
The Commission is concerned that limiting access to Meta AI, then charging rivals for access, could have hurt competition in the growing market for AI chatbots on messaging platforms. The EU acted after signaling it was ready to require Meta to let rival chatbots use WhatsApp.
This is important because WhatsApp is not just another app in Meta’s lineup. It is one of the world’s most popular messaging services, and access to it could influence how AI assistants reach users in Europe. Offering free access for one month is a small concession, but it shows that Meta takes the antitrust risk seriously and is willing to compromise instead of waiting for a formal decision.
A complaint from smaller rivals triggered the fight
The EU case began after a complaint from The Interaction Company of California, which makes the Poke.com AI assistant, and a Spanish competitor.
This is notable because the complaint did not come from one of Meta’s largest U.S. rivals, but from smaller companies who argue that access rules on a dominant messaging platform could keep them out of the AI market before it fully develops.
For Meta, this move is a practical decision. If Meta can meet the Commission’s requirements, it could avoid being found at fault and escape a large fine. For Brussels, the case is an early test of how strictly it wants to regulate competition in AI distribution, not just in AI models.
More than a WhatsApp dispute
The broader importance of this case is that it moves Europe’s AI oversight beyond just model safety and into the area of platform control. The issue is not only which company has the best chatbot, but also who controls the channels that connect chatbots to users.
Meta’s one-month free-access offer may be temporary, but it highlights how valuable these channels are and how ready regulators are to step in if one company seems to control them too much.
