You won't be able to chat with AI on WhatsApp

Technology Oct 21, 2025

Meta (the company behind WhatsApp) just announced that starting January 15, 2026, general-purpose AI chatbots—like ChatGPT—won't be allowed on WhatsApp anymore.
This change is aimed at AI providers, not businesses using bots for customer support.

Why is Meta making this change?

Meta says WhatsApp's Business API was built for companies to connect with customers—not for open-ended AI bots.
While these bots have made chats busier, they don't fit with WhatsApp's paid business messaging model.

What's going away?

After January 2026, you won't find third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp. Only Meta's own AI assistant will stick around, and businesses can still use bots for specific tasks like customer help.
If you love using independent AI chatbots, you'll have to look for them outside of WhatsApp.