Italy Expands Antitrust Probe Into Meta Over WhatsApp AI Integration

ROME, Nov. 26, 2025 — The Italian antitrust regulator has expanded its investigation into Meta Platforms, scrutinizing whether the company abused its dominant market position by integrating its artificial-intelligence tools into WhatsApp — a move critics warn could undercut competition in the emerging AI services market.

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The investigation, which began in July 2025, now extends to new commercial terms for WhatsApp Business Solutions introduced on October 15, along with the integration of Meta’s AI interaction features across the app. The regulator is also considering interim measures while the probe continues.

At the heart of the investigation is the concern that by bundling Meta AI with WhatsApp, Meta may be limiting market access for rival AI-chatbot providers and stifling innovation. The regulator argues that embedding AI directly in a widely used communications platform without sufficient user choice or consent could give Meta an unfair advantage over competing services.

Meta has yet to publicly respond to the expanded scope of the investigation.

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If the regulator finds evidence of anti-competitive behaviour, consequences could include fines or forced structural remedies — a decision that may reshape regulatory scrutiny of AI-platform integrations across Europe.