WhatsApp to allow rival AI chatbots in Brazil following rollout in Europe

Meta is now allowing competing AI companies to offer their chatbots on WhatsApp to users in Brazil for a fee, just one day after the company confirmed a similar move for users in Europe.

Earlier this week, Brazil's antitrust regulator, CADE, ruled against Meta and rejected the company's appeal seeking to block an earlier order that suspended its policy change aimed at preventing third-party AI chatbots from operating on WhatsApp.

Upon review, the CADE Tribunal determined that the requirements to maintain the preventive measure were met. According to the case rapporteur, Councilor Carlos Jacques, there is evidence of legal plausibility, considering the relevance of WhatsApp in the Brazilian instant messaging services market," CADE's ruling states.

The regulator also said that blocking third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp "would not be proportionate" and could create competitive harm.

In response, Meta said it would allow third-party AI chatbot providers to use its WhatsApp Business API to make their services available through the app in places where the law requires it. In Brazil, the company will charge $0.0625 per "non-template message" beginning March 11.

"Where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots through the WhatsApp business API, we are introducing pricing for the companies that choose to use our platform to provide those services," a Meta spokesperson said.

Meta first announced the policy change last October, which triggered several antitrust probes, especially because the company already offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, within WhatsApp. Meta has argued that the WhatsApp Business API was not originally designed to support AI chatbots and that such services place additional strain on its systems.

Although Meta is now opening access to third-party chatbots in certain regions due to regulatory pressure, developers say they remain cautious about restarting their services, arguing that Meta's pricing is high and could be costly.

Zapia, one of the companies that filed the complaint with CADE in Brazil, welcomed the outcome.

"Competition and preventing powerful companies from limiting how innovation reaches users. At Zapia, we believe people should be free to choose the AI tools they use, and innovation thrives only when the platforms they rely on every day remain open. We will continue challenging these restrictions across the rest of Latin America, and we now look forward to seeing how Meta adapts its policies in Brazil to comply with the decision," the company said in a statement.