EU orders Meta to reopen WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots

The European Union has ordered Meta to restore WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbot providers, challenging the company's ability to favor its own assistant inside one of the world's largest messaging networks. The intervention treats chatbot distribution as a competition issue: if users increasingly reach AI through messaging apps, excluding rivals can become as consequential as blocking a search engine or app store competitor. Meta now faces pressure to provide workable access while still enforcing privacy, security, and spam controls across third-party bots. The order matters beyond WhatsApp because major consumer platforms are becoming the default gateways to AI services. What regulators accept as fair technical access here could shape how assistants are distributed across messaging, operating systems, and social networks.

Key details: June 10, 2026, European Union, Meta, WhatsApp, Rival AI chatbots.

Continue swiping for more AI Brief stories.