Meta has updated the policy for its WhatsApp Business API to prohibit general-purpose chatbots from operating on its platform. This change is expected to impact the WhatsApp-based assistants from companies such as OpenAI, Perplexity, Luzia, and Poke.
The company introduced a new section in its business API terms specifically addressing AI providers, with a focus on general-purpose chatbots. These updated terms, which will take effect on January 15, 2026, state that Meta will not permit AI model providers to distribute their AI assistants on WhatsApp. The policy strictly prohibits AI providers from using the WhatsApp Business Solution to offer or make available their technologies when those technologies are the primary functionality being provided.
Meta confirmed this policy shift and clarified that it does not affect businesses using AI for customer service on WhatsApp. For example, a travel company using a bot to assist customers will not be barred from the service.
The rationale behind this decision is that the WhatsApp Business API is intended for businesses to serve their customers, not to act as a platform for distributing chatbots. Meta stated that while the API was built for business-to-business use cases, it recently observed an unanticipated use case involving general-purpose chatbots. A company spokesperson said the purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates, and their focus is on supporting the many businesses building these experiences.
Meta explained that these new chatbot use cases placed a significant burden on its systems due to increased message volume and required a different kind of support for which the company was not prepared. The ban targets use cases that fall outside the intended design and strategic focus of the API.
This move will effectively prevent WhatsApp from being used as a platform to distribute AI solutions like assistants or agents. It also means that Meta AI will be the only assistant available on the chat app.
Last year, OpenAI launched ChatGPT on WhatsApp, and earlier this year, Perplexity launched its own bot on the platform to access its user base of over three billion people. These bots could answer queries, understand media files, reply to voice notes, and generate images, which likely generated a substantial volume of messages.
A larger issue for Meta involves the WhatsApp Business API, which is one of the primary ways the chat app generates revenue. The API charges businesses based on different message templates for marketing, utility, authentication, and support. Since the API design did not include a provision for chatbots, WhatsApp was unable to charge for this type of use.
During Meta’s first-quarter 2025 earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg highlighted that business messaging represents a significant revenue opportunity for the company. He noted that while the vast majority of their current business is advertising on Facebook and Instagram, WhatsApp now has over three billion monthly active users. He stated that business messaging should be the next pillar of their business.