ChatGPT Could Soon Be on WhatsApp after Meta’s EU Climbdown

Shares in Meta Platforms META +1.93% ▲ looked less clever today as it said it was opening up WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots – potentially including OpenAI’s ChatGPT – in the face of a possible antitrust slap-down from the EU.

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Meta said AI rivals would be allowed on the WhatsApp platform for a year.

EU Threats Shake Meta

This followed threats from the European Commission, the EU competition enforcer, that it would introduce interim measures to prevent potential serious and irreparable harm to rivals after Meta blocked them from WhatsApp.

Meta will let rival AI chatbots access WhatsApp for a fee. The company barred them on January 15, allowing only its Meta AI assistant on the service.

“For the next 12 months, we’ll support general purpose AI chatbots using the WhatsApp Business API in Europe in response to the European Commission’s regulatory process,” a Meta spokesperson said. “We believe that this removes the need for any immediate intervention as it gives the European Commission the time it needs to conclude its investigation.”

The Commission said it was analysing how Meta’s changes might affect both its interim measures review and its broader antitrust investigation.

Too Much Strain

Meta has previously said the rise of chatbots on its platforms strains its systems and that other channels exist for AI providers, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations and operating systems.

Meta allowed rival chatbots onto WhatsApp in Italy in January after an order from the Italian antitrust authority, which is still investigating.

An upgrade to the messaging platform last October meant the only AI assistant available to use on WhatsApp was Meta AI, the agent developed by the US tech group, which also owns Facebook and Instagram.

The European Commission said Meta was the dominant player for messaging in the EU market and was “abusing” this position by “refusing access to WhatsApp to other businesses”.

It said it “considers that WhatsApp is an important entry point” for AI chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to “reach consumers”.

Is META a Good Stock to Buy Now?

On TipRanks, META has a Strong Buy consensus based on 39 Buy and 5 Hold ratings. Its highest price target is $1,144. META stock’s consensus price target is $858.86, implying a 28.62% upside.

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