Meta’s updated rules for WhatsApp will soon force OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot to leave the platform. The messaging service is introducing new terms for the WhatsApp Business Solution API that prohibit the use of WhatsApp to distribute AI chatbots not created by Meta.
OpenAI confirmed its planned exit earlier this month, and Microsoft followed with a similar announcement. Both companies said their AI chatbots will remain available on WhatsApp until January 15, 2026, when the new terms officially take effect. ChatGPT users can link their accounts to ensure their chat history transfers, but Copilot users will not have that option.
WhatsApp first announced the policy change in October. While businesses can still use WhatsApp for customer service and automated support bots, AI companies are now banned from using it as a delivery platform for standalone AI products. The update effectively stops rival AI providers from reaching users through WhatsApp, leaving Meta AI as the only approved chatbot on the app starting next year.
A Meta spokesperson told a common daily, “The purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates. Our focus is on supporting the tens of thousands of businesses who are building these experiences on WhatsApp.”
The shift means other third party AI chatbot providers, including Perplexity, are expected to announce their departures soon.
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