WhatsApp is preparing for a significant shift in its platform operations as Meta confirmed that it will prohibit the use of external AI chatbots from early next year.
The move, part of an extensive update to its terms of service, will take effect on January 15, 2026 and is expected to reshape how users and businesses interact with automated tools on the messaging app.
Under the revised rules, widely used AI chatbots, including ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, will no longer be able to function within WhatsApp. Both companies have announced plans to remove their integrations well before the enforcement date.
OpenAI indicated its intention to step back earlier this month, and Microsoft soon followed, confirming that it will also comply with Meta’s new Business Solution requirements. These rules explicitly prohibit AI providers from using WhatsApp as a channel once the policy takes effect.
API Access Restricted to Customer Support Functions
Meta first shared details of the upcoming changes in October, notifying developers that the WhatsApp Business API would no longer serve as a gateway for independent AI chatbots.
While the API will remain accessible, Meta will strictly limit its purpose to enabling businesses to manage customer support, deliver notifications, and provide essential information. The platform will not permit chatbots that function as standalone AI products.
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that the API’s core mission is to help companies communicate effectively with their customers. They emphasised that Meta intends to safeguard the ecosystem that many businesses rely on to run support services through WhatsApp.
The updated terms signal that more AI firms, including emerging players such as Perplexity, may soon announce their withdrawal from the platform.
Once the policy takes effect, Meta will position its own AI assistant as the only chatbot available to WhatsApp users, signalling a decisive shift towards centralising AI services under its umbrella.
The move underscores Meta’s strategy to maintain tighter control over AI interactions on WhatsApp, ensuring that only approved tools operate within its ecosystem while external AI providers exit the platform.
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