WhatsApp has brought a significant update to its Business API policy to ban general-purpose chatbots from its platform, aiming to outdo leading artificial intelligence (AI) agents from companies, including Perplexity, Luzia, OpenAI, and Poke.
The update policy will be effective from January 15, 2026, which prohibits AI providers from using WhatsApp’s Business Solution to distribute chatbots or generative AI features as their main service.
In a statement to TechCrunch, Meta clarified that it will not impact businesses using AI for customer service, such as retailers and travel agents.
Moreover, the platform stated that WhatsApp’s Business API was built to assist businesses offer support and send updates.
An exponential rise of general-purpose chatbots has strained system capacity because of high message volumes and need for a different support structure.
The significant move aligns with Meta’s goal of maintaining the API’s “intended design and strategic focus.”
With this update, third-party AI assistants will be prevented from operating on WhatsApp, leaving Meta AI as the company’s sole incorporated agent.
According to a few credible analysts, there might be a financial motive behind this significant move. WhatsApp’s Business API is a key revenue source, which charges companies per message type.
Since AI bots didn’t fit that structure, Meta couldn’t monetize them. Previously, the CEO Mark Zuckerberg called business messaging “the next pillar” of Meta’s revenue strategy.
