The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Meta over antitrust concerns with AI restrictions in WhatsApp. The probe aims to “prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space” according to the EU, and follows Meta announcing changes to WhatsApp’s terms for businesses in October that will prohibit companies from using the platform’s API to distribute third-party AI chatbots.

“As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp,” says the European Commission’s announcement. “On the other hand, Meta’s own AI service ‘Meta AI’ would remain accessible to users on the platform.”

The updated WhatsApp policy went into effect on October 15 for AI providers that don’t already have services on the pl

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