Meta has confirmed that it will allow AI companies to offer their rival chatbots on WhatsApp through the platform’s Business API, but says access will come with a fee. The change will apply in Europe for the next 12 months and comes as the company faces increasing pressure from regulators. Meta currently integrates its Llama-powered Meta AI chatbot into platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

The move comes after pressure from the European Commission, which has been investigating whether Meta’s previous policies unfairly blocked competing AI assistants from being offered on WhatsApp. Regulators warned that restricting third-party chatbot services while allowing Meta’s own AI assistant on the platform could harm competition in the growing AI market.

Rival AI companies will have to pay a fee per message

To address concerns, Meta announced that general-purpose AI chatbot developers will now be able to integrate their services with WhatsApp through the Business API. However, access will not be free. Companies will need to pay a fee for messages sent through the platform. According to Meta, the cost will range from €0.0490 to €0.1323 per non-template message, depending on the country. This change was applied to Italy on February 16, and it comes to 30 more European countries on March 11.

• Austria (+43)
• Belgium (+32)
• Brazil (+55)
• Bulgaria (+359)
• Croatia (+385)
• Cyprus (+357)
• Czech Republic (+420)
• Denmark (+45)
• Estonia (+372)
• Finland (+358)
• France (+33)
• Germany (+49)
• Greece (+30)
• Hungary (+36)
• Iceland (+354)
• Ireland (+353)
• Italy (+39)
• Latvia (+371)
• Liechtenstein (+423)
• Lithuania (+370)
• Luxembourg (+352)
• Malta (+356)
• Netherlands (+31)
• Norway (+47)
• Poland (+48)
• Portugal (+351)
• Romania (+40)
• Slovakia (+421)
• Slovenia (+386)
• Spain (+34)
• Sweden (+46)

Source: Meta

Because AI conversations typically involve multiple messages back and forth, the total cost could become significant for companies offering AI assistants. Some developers have already raised concerns that the pricing model may still create financial barriers for smaller companies trying to compete in the space.

The policy change only applies to AI assistants designed for general conversation, such as chatbots similar to ChatGPT or Claude. Businesses that use AI tools for customer support on WhatsApp are not affected in the same way. For example, companies that run automated support bots using predefined templates can continue to operate as before.

Meta says the new policy will remain in place for at least one year while regulators complete their investigation. The company also stated that allowing chatbot providers temporary access to the API should remove the need for immediate regulatory action.

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Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.