• Source:JND
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Italy’s competition authority has opened a formal investigation against Meta due to the incorporation of the company’s artificial intelligence assistant into WhatsApp. There are concerns that Meta may have breached EU antitrust regulations. The investigation intends to find out whether Meta utilised its market dominance by enabling AI capabilities in WhatsApp due to its existing position in the market, especially with no proper user consent and no opt-out provisions.

If found guilty of the alleged anti-competitive practices, there are serious financial consequences under the European Union legislation.

What Triggered the Investigation?

The Italian regulator, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has stated that it will investigate Meta’s implementation of the Meta AI assistant for the WhatsApp search bar feature, a feature that was launched in March 2025. The authority has a suspicion that Meta may have taken advantage of its dominance over the WhatsApp application, which is utilised by millions in Italy, to market its AI products and services, undermining competition.

According to AGCM, by embedding its AI into WhatsApp, Meta:

  • Added a new AI function to WhatsApp, a service already offered by Meta
  • Allegedly, without obtaining an unambiguous user agreement
  • Allegedly drove users toward Meta’s AI assistant, limiting their options
  • Allegedly stifled market competition by limiting access to alternative AI interfaces

AGCM's Key Concern: Coercion Through Integration

The focal point isn't that Meta released an AI assistant, but the method of its rollout. AGCM alleges that the AI wasn’t offered as an optional feature but was embedded into WhatsApp’s user interface, specifically the search feature.

The authority noted:
“By linking Meta AI with WhatsApp, the company appears to be leading users into the new AI service not through competitive merit, but by combining two separate functions in a way that may harm rival providers.”

As explained by the AGCM, this strategy can be detrimental to competition in the rapidly changing marketplace, specifically in AI.

Meta Responds: “We’re Giving People More Choice”

Meta has stated they are fully cooperating with the investigation and, in a press briefing, a company representative noted:

“Offering free access to our AI features in WhatsApp gives millions of Italians the choice to use AI in a place they already know, trust, and understand.”

Meta’s position is that the integration is voluntary and focuses on accessibility and user comfort.

How the EU’s Antitrust Law Applies

According to EU competition law, businesses that are in an oligopolistic position in the market, such as Meta with its subsidiaries WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, cannot misuse their power to suppress competition, stifle innovation, or limit user options.

If the AGCM ascertains that Meta has crossed these boundaries, the company might have to pay a fine amounting to 10% of their annual revenue. Considering the global presence of Meta, this could run into several billion euros.

The Italian regulator has stated that they are in collaboration with the European Commission and that searches have already been conducted in Meta's Italian office with the help of the Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza.

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Growing Scrutiny Over Big Tech and AI in Europe

This example marks yet another effort in the long and ongoing battle to regulate how big technology companies are using artificial intelligence in Europe. With AI services being integrated into daily use applications now more than ever, regulators are concerned about competition, consent, and transparency.

This action by Italy aligns with the EU’s broader efforts to regulate the use of AI technology, particularly by companies whose practices are already under investigation due to their market-level dominance.

Final Thoughts

The recent AI features included in WhatsApp by Meta have put the company on a collision course with the Italian regulators, who perceive early indicators of market exploitation. This investigation has the potential to be a landmark decision on whether and how AI technologies will be used on platforms operating as monopolies in the market without distortion of competition. As the case is examined, industries will be watching closely and awaiting the decision carefully, as with increasing scrutiny on Big Tech in Europe, the AI competition framework could be changed forever.