Italy Expands Antitrust Probe Into Meta Over WhatsApp AI Tools

Italy’s competition authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, on Tuesday announced that it has broadened an investigation into Meta Platforms over allegations the company abused a dominant market position by embedding AI interaction tools in WhatsApp and by changing the contractual terms governing WhatsApp Business Solution. The agency said it opened the probe in July and that the new phase will examine actions taken after the company updated business terms on October 15.

The authority said the combination of the assistant integration and the revised business terms could limit market access, output or technical development in the emerging market for AI chatbot services, and that it may consider interim measures while the inquiry proceeds. The probe focuses in particular on whether Meta introduced its AI assistant into WhatsApp without obtaining adequate user consent, and whether terms aimed at businesses hinder competition among providers of chatbot technology and services. Meta has not commented.

Regulators across Europe have been intensifying scrutiny of major technology platforms as they embed generative artificial intelligence into widely used consumer products. Competition authorities are increasingly attentive to how the placement of AI features within dominant apps might crystallize advantages that are difficult for competitors to overcome. In this case, WhatsApp’s enormous user base and deep integration with business messaging channels make the platform a potential lever for steering demand and data to Meta owned services.

The concerns raised by the Italian regulator reflect several technical and market realities. Generative AI assistants are typically powered by large language models that improve with scale and with access to varied interaction data. If a platform owner ties such an assistant closely to its messaging service and changes the access conditions for third party business messaging providers, rivals may face higher costs, reduced ability to interoperate, and diminished incentives to innovate. Regulators worry that those dynamics can slow technical development across the sector, narrowing consumer choice.

For businesses that use WhatsApp to reach customers, the adjustments to business terms could alter pricing, data sharing practices, or the permitted integrations with external AI tools. For developers building chatbots and AI services, restrictions on access to messaging APIs or new commercial terms can raise barriers to entry and make investment in competing services less attractive.

The AGCM’s mention of interim measures signals that it may seek temporary orders to prevent the implementation of contested practices while the investigation continues. Such steps could include requirements to modify contractual terms, to implement specific consent mechanisms for users, or to maintain open technical interfaces for third parties. Any final resolution could range from behavioral remedies to fines if the agency finds an abuse of dominance under Italian and European competition law.

The investigation in Rome adds to a patchwork of regulatory actions across the region as authorities grapple with how competition rules apply to platforms that are simultaneously social networks, communication services, and developers of AI systems. The outcome will be watched closely by regulators, tech companies, businesses that rely on messaging, and consumers concerned about choice, privacy, and the pace of AI innovation.