The European Union has delivered its strongest signal yet that it will not allow Big Tech to dominate artificial intelligence markets by leveraging control over existing digital platforms. On Monday, the European Commission warned Meta that it may impose interim antitrust measures forcing the company to reopen WhatsApp to rival AI assistants- an unusually aggressive step that would take effect before the bloc’s investigation is complete.
At the center of the dispute is Meta’s decision to block third-party general-purpose AI assistants from WhatsApp. In October, the company updated its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, a policy change that came into force in January and left Meta AI as the only AI assistant permitted on the platform. EU regulators now say that move may constitute an abuse of Meta’s dominant position under EU competition law.
In a formal Statement of Objections, the Commission set out its preliminary view that Meta’s conduct risks shutting competitors out of the fast-growing AI assistant market. Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera said the pace of AI development justifies swift enforcement, warning that delays could cause “serious and irreparable harm” to competition.
“AI markets are developing at rapid pace, so we also need to be swift in our action,” Ribera said. “That is why we are considering quickly imposing interim measures on Meta, to preserve access for competitors to WhatsApp while the investigation is ongoing.”
A rare enforcement weapon
Interim measures are among the most powerful- and least frequently used- tools in the EU’s antitrust arsenal. They allow regulators to order companies to stop or reverse suspected anti-competitive behavior before a final legal ruling is reached. The threshold is high: authorities must show urgency and a credible risk that competition would be permanently damaged if they wait.
If imposed, the measures would require Meta to maintain third-party AI assistants’ access to WhatsApp under the rules that applied before the October policy change. In effect, Meta would be forced to reopen its messaging platform while the investigation continues.
The Commission’s willingness to deploy this mechanism underscores how seriously it views AI distribution channels. With more than two billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is seen by regulators as a critical gateway for AI assistants seeking to reach consumers where they already communicate.
Meta’s push-back
Meta has rejected the Commission’s findings, arguing that WhatsApp is not an essential channel for AI services. A company spokesperson said there is “no reason for the EU to intervene in the WhatsApp Business API,” noting that users can access AI tools through app stores, operating systems, websites, devices, and industry partnerships.
“The Commission’s logic incorrectly assumes the WhatsApp Business API is a key distribution channel for these chatbots,” the spokesperson said.
That argument may struggle to convince regulators who have long viewed platform control- not just technical availability- as central to competition. In its preliminary assessment, the Commission said WhatsApp is likely dominant in consumer communications in the European Economic Area and represents a crucial access point for AI assistants to scale.
A broader crackdown on platform power
The case fits squarely into the EU’s wider effort to rein in U.S. tech giants. In 2025 alone, Brussels fined Apple €500 million over anti-steering violations, Meta €200 million for breaching data-choice obligations, and Google €2.95 billion for antitrust abuses in online advertising.
What makes the WhatsApp case different is timing. Rather than imposing penalties after years of litigation, the Commission is signaling it will intervene early- before AI markets consolidate around incumbent platforms.
That shift reflects a growing belief in Brussels that fines alone are insufficient in fast-moving digital sectors. Once competitors are locked out of key distribution channels, regulators argue, market damage may be impossible to undo.
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Why it matters for AI developers
For AI startups and established rivals alike, the outcome could be pivotal. Messaging apps are rapidly becoming default interfaces for AI assistants, blurring the line between communication tools and intelligent services. Losing access to WhatsApp in Europe could mean losing hundreds of millions of potential users.
If the Commission succeeds, it would set a powerful precedent: dominant platforms cannot use their control over existing ecosystems to pick winners in emerging AI markets. Other messaging services and digital platforms may feel pressure to adjust their own AI policies preemptively.
Meta now has the right to respond to the Commission’s objections and request a hearing. But with regulators openly citing the urgency of AI competition, the company’s room to maneuver is narrowing.
This confrontation is about more than one policy change on one app. It marks an early and consequential battle over who controls access to AI users in Europe- and signals that, in Brussels’ view, the era of “wait and see” regulation for artificial intelligence is over.
