WhatsApp users will no longer be able to use third-party AI chatbots. Meta has announced that only its own AI assistant, Meta AI, will be available on WhatsApp.
All other AI chatbots, like ChatGPT and Perplexity, will be banned.
This move is expected to be a significant setback for companies competing with Meta in the AI space. From now on, users can only interact with Meta’s AI chatbot on WhatsApp.
Implementation Date and Policy Update
This new rule will come into effect on January 15th next year. After this date, chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI will no longer work on WhatsApp.
To enforce this, Meta has updated the WhatsApp Business API.
According to the updated policy, companies whose main service is providing chatbots will not be allowed to use the WhatsApp Business solution.
Impact on Businesses
Meta clarified that this decision will not affect regular businesses, such as travel agencies or e-commerce brands, that use automated customer service bots in a limited way.
The rule mainly targets AI startups that provide chat-based assistants to customers on WhatsApp.
Meta explained that these AI chatbots are putting pressure on its infrastructure and support systems.
New Message Limits to Reduce Spam
WhatsApp will also introduce message limits to curb spam. This may include monthly restrictions on messages sent to people who do not reply.
These limits will apply to both users and businesses. Trials of this feature will begin in several countries in the coming weeks.
