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In a major crackdown on its rivals, WhatsApp has updated its business API policy to ban general-purpose AI chatbots from operating on its platform.
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The Meta-owned chat app has added a new section in its business API terms that specifically prohibits AI model providers from distributing their AI assistants via WhatsApp. However, this change will not affect businesses such as a travel agency that use WhatsApp to deploy AI chatbots for customer service, the company clarified.
“Providers and developers of artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies, including but not limited to large language models, generative artificial intelligence platforms, general-purpose artificial intelligence assistants, or similar technologies as determined by Meta in its sole discretion (“AI Providers”), are strictly prohibited from accessing or using the WhatsApp Business Solution, whether directly or indirectly, for the purposes of providing, delivering, offering, selling, or otherwise making available such technologies when such technologies are the primary (rather than incidental or ancillary) functionality being made available for use, as determined by Meta in its sole discretion,” the updated WhatsApp business API policy reads.
The revised terms are set to go into effect from January 15, 2026, onwards.
WhatsApp’s latest policy change effectively blocks AI assistants rolled out by rivals such as OpenAI and Perplexity, making Meta AI the only AI chatbot accessible through the platform which has over 500 million users in India. The move underscores the growing turf war in the AI race and signals a shift toward more closed, tightly controlled ecosystems.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has pointed out that big tech companies have an unfair market advantage in AI due to their control over datasets and other computational resources, among other factors. “In the AI industry, major firms may leverage their control over data, infrastructure, and proprietary models to entrench their market position which may end up raising barriers to entry,” read the CCI study released earlier this month.
However, Meta sought to justify the policy update by stating that its business API solution cannot serve as a platform for chatbot distribution as it is primarily designed to enable businesses to serve customers.
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“The purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates. Our focus is on supporting the tens of thousands of businesses who are building these experiences on WhatsApp,” a Meta spokesperson was quoted as saying by TechCrunch.
WhatsApp further said that distributing general-purpose chatbots via its business API solution placed a lot of burden on its backend systems due to an increase in the volume of messages.
Business API is also one of WhatsApp’s primary revenue streams where it essentially charges government and enterprise customers looking to communicate with users at scale. In June this year, the Meta-owned platform announced that it will be introducing ads in its Status feature.
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