Meta Platforms Inc. recently introduced harmful new terms for WhatsApp. To people planning to use general-purpose chatbots on the messaging service. However, starting on January 15, 2026, Meta will not allow providers of AI models to distribute their AI assistants through WhatsApp. This decision follows a sudden increase in the adoption of general-purpose chatbots seen in the last few months.
The updated disclosure is designed to give clarity and confidence to businesses that use WhatsApp to connect with customers. WhatsApp has more than 3 billion users around the world. It’s an essential vehicle that helps mission-driven organizations improve their customer care and collaboration. Meta promotes the WhatsApp Business API as a way to help businesses connect. It helps them provide excellent customer service and consistently send timely, meaningful communications. In a comment to TechCrunch, a spokesperson for Meta said, “Our top priority is supporting the tens of thousands of businesses of all sizes… These companies are creating magical experiences on WhatsApp.”
Meta’s announcement comes on the heels of a remarkable turnaround in the tech sector. Earlier this year, Perplexity released a chatbot on WhatsApp, and OpenAI debuted ChatGPT on the platform last year. These events made it clear that there was a huge, burgeoning interest in how AI technologies could be embedded inside messaging apps. Yet, Meta’s new policy clearly indicates that it is headed in the other direction and is not interested in having general-purpose AI models flourish on WhatsApp.
The updated terms specifically state that “providers and developers of artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies… are strictly prohibited from accessing or using the WhatsApp Business Solution… for the purposes of providing, delivering, offering, selling, or otherwise making available such technologies.” This ban extends to any technology where it is not only an incidental feature but rather is the main feature, as defined entirely by Meta.
Given this pivot, its not surprising that in other areas too, Meta is doubling down on its main revenue sources. Mark Zuckerberg previously noted, “Right now, the vast majority of our business is advertising in feeds on Facebook and Instagram.” Even access to AI chatbots is being restricted by Meta. This step will solidify its offerings for companies and maintain WhatsApp as a secure channel for businesses to communicate with customers.
The restriction comes at a time when Meta has been actively exploring the capabilities of its APIs for various use cases. The newly rebranded Meta has built a specific API for companies operating on WhatsApp. This dynamic technology provides an additional customer service benefit and helps deliver important, real-time updates. This decision is certainly in line with Meta’s overall strategy. Most importantly, they’re now looking to meet specific business needs—not just facilitate broad consumer interactions with AI chatbots.
This year’s TC Sessions: Climate was held in San Francisco on October 27-29, 2025. It underscored how desperately business solutions are needed in the messaging space. Today, over one billion people use Messenger each month. With messaging activity on Instagram now on par with Messenger, it’s in Meta’s interest to keep as much control over its platforms as possible.
As the digital communication environment becomes more diversified, corporate communicators are faced with an increasingly complicated user experience versus communicative purpose game of chess. This decision shows that Meta is committed to focusing on business features first and foremost, rather than general AI use cases inside WhatsApp.