Italy probes Meta for forcing AI assistant on WhatsApp users
Italy's antitrust watchdog is looking into Meta after the company added its AI assistant straight into WhatsApp's search bar—without asking users first.
Since March 2025, this move has sparked concerns that Meta might be squeezing out competition and not giving people a real choice when using the app.
AGCM's concerns and potential consequences for Meta
WhatsApp is huge in Italy, so AGCM worries that tying Meta AI to the app could trap users in Meta's world and make it tough for other companies to compete.
If regulators decide Meta broke EU rules on fair competition, the company could face some hefty fines—up to 10% of its global revenue.
Meanwhile, Meta says it's cooperating and just wants to give Italians free access to new tech on a trusted platform.
This case is part of a bigger push in Europe to keep big tech firms playing fair as they roll out more AI features.