Meta has decided to shake things up on WhatsApp — and in doing so, it’s showing the door to some big names in the AI world. Starting January 15, 2026, third-party chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot will no longer be allowed to operate on the platform. The move clears the way for Meta’s own AI assistant to take center stage, but not everyone’s cheering.
According to The Verge and Swedish tech site Feber, Meta’s updated policy bans any company from using WhatsApp’s official business API if their main product is an AI chatbot. That distinction matters — customer service bots are fine, but full-scale chatbots meant for everyday conversation are out.
So if you’ve been chatting with AI buddies through WhatsApp, that’s coming to an end. Meta’s reasoning? The API was built for business support, not for general chit-chat or what the company calls “AI companionship.” But critics see it differently. For them, this is less about keeping the platform tidy and more about cutting out the competition to make room for Meta AI, the company’s own assistant now fully integrated into WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger.
The new policy effectively pushes out some of the biggest names in AI:
The timing couldn’t be more notable — right when AI assistants are becoming a natural part of how we communicate online.
If you’re a ChatGPT user on WhatsApp, you’ll need to link your account soon to save your chat history before the integration disappears. Copilot users don’t get that luxury — they won’t be able to transfer chat data at all. Other AI services, including Perplexity, are expected to vanish from WhatsApp over the next year as Meta’s new rules take effect.
By mid-January 2026, all third-party AIs will be gone. Developers now have just over a year to either shut down those integrations or change course entirely.
On paper, Meta’s rule update is just a “policy clarification.” But look closer, and it’s hard to miss the strategic angle. WhatsApp is home to more than 2 billion users across the globe — a massive audience that Meta can now steer exclusively toward its own AI.
With every conversation, question, or curious late-night query running through Meta’s assistant, the company gains not just control but a treasure trove of interaction data. That’s a huge advantage in the AI arms race — and one that rivals like OpenAI or Microsoft won’t easily ignore.
Regulators may not ignore it either. In regions like the European Union, where tech giants are already under pressure for “gatekeeping” behavior, Meta’s new rule could face tougher scrutiny. Questions about fair access, competition, and consumer choice are bound to follow.
Depending on how you look at it, Meta’s decision is either a reasonable move to streamline its platform or a bold power grab designed to keep competitors out of its ecosystem.
For users, it might eventually mean smoother AI integration and fewer security concerns. For AI companies, though, it’s another reminder that their access to billions of potential users can vanish overnight — all it takes is a line in a new policy.
What do you think? Smart business move or a worrying sign of Big Tech controlling the AI conversation?