Meta faces Italian antitrust probe over WhatsApp AI integration

Facebook-parent Meta is reportedly facing competition investigation in Italy over its new AI chatbot integrated in its popular messaging app WhatsApp. As reported by Reuters, Italy’s antirust watchdog AGCM has started an investigation into Meta Platforms, alleging that the company may have abused its dominant market position by integrating its Meta AI chatbot into WhatsApp without obtaining user consent. The probe mainly revolves around concerns that embedding Meta AI directly into WhatsApp’s search bar could unfairly push users towards Meta services. This move of the company may potentially distort competition and harm rival AI platforms.

“By pairing Meta AI with WhatsApp, Meta appears to be able to steer its user base into the new market not through merit-based competition, but by ‘forcing’ users to accept the availability of two distinct services,” the authority stated.