Italy Expands Antitrust Probe into Meta Over WhatsApp AI Tools
Italy’s antitrust authority announced on Wednesday that it has widened its investigation into Meta Platforms over claims the company misused its dominant market position by deploying artificial intelligence tools within WhatsApp.
Broader Investigation into AI Integration
The regulator, known as AGCM, said it is examining whether the new WhatsApp Business Solution terms — introduced on 15 October — and the integration of Meta’s new AI features could limit competition. According to the authority, these updates may restrict market access, output or technical development in the emerging AI chatbot services sector.
Meta has not yet commented on the latest development. The AGCM added that it might introduce interim measures related to the WhatsApp Business Solution terms and the inclusion of Meta’s AI interaction tools.
Concerns Over Market Dominance and Consent
The Italian watchdog first launched its investigation in July, focusing on whether Meta breached European Union competition regulations. At that time, authorities raised concerns that Meta may have incorporated its AI assistant into WhatsApp without obtaining users’ consent, potentially giving the company an unfair advantage in the AI-driven communications market.
The expanded probe reflects growing regulatory scrutiny across Europe of how large technology firms integrate artificial intelligence into widely used platforms. Regulators are increasingly focused on ensuring that such integrations do not harm competition or consumer rights.
with inputs from Reuters
