WhatsApp Shuts Door on AI Chatbots

WhatsApp is making a big change. Starting next year, AI companies can't use WhatsApp as a chat interface. This move affects companies like OpenAI and Perplexity, which have been using WhatsApp to let users chat with their AI models. This change is interesting because WhatsApp has a huge user base—3 billion people! Many AI companies saw this as a great opportunity to reach more users, especially in places where WhatsApp doesn't count against data plans. But now, Meta, which owns WhatsApp, is putting a stop to it. The new rule says AI companies can't use WhatsApp's business API if their main service is providing AI chatbots. This means companies can still use AI for customer support on WhatsApp, but not for general chatbot interactions. OpenAI has already said their WhatsApp contact won't work after January 15, 2026. Perplexity, which is also on Telegram and X, hasn't confirmed their plans yet. Why is Meta doing this? Well, Meta has its own chatbot, so it might not want competition on its platform. This move could also be about controlling the user experience on WhatsApp.