EU vs Meta: Open WhatsApp to Rival AI

On February 9, 2026, the European Commission threatened Meta with interim measures. The claim: blocking third-party AI assistants in WhatsApp. The regulator believes Meta is abusing the messenger's dominant position by forcing its Meta AI on users.

This is a precedent-setting case. If the EU wins, WhatsApp will turn into a neutral platform where users can choose ChatGPT or Claude as a built-in companion. A blow to Zuckerberg's "walled garden" strategy.

Source: Reuters / EC