Italy Launches Antitrust Probe Into Meta Over AI Integration in WhatsApp
In a fresh regulatory challenge to Big Tech, Italy’s antitrust authority has opened a formal investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. over allegations that it abused its dominant market position by integrating its Meta AI tool into WhatsApp without obtaining user consent.
The watchdog, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), announced the probe on Wednesday, stating that Meta’s actions may violate European Union competition laws.
The authority is concerned that embedding Meta AI—an artificial intelligence assistant—directly into WhatsApp’s interface may give the U.S. tech giant an unfair advantage in the AI market.
According to the AGCM, Meta AI has been integrated into WhatsApp since March 2025, appearing prominently in the app’s search bar.
The regulator argues that this integration could steer users toward Meta’s own AI services, potentially stifling competition and locking users into its ecosystem.
“By pairing Meta AI with WhatsApp, Meta appears to be steering users into a new market not through merit-based competition, but by bundling two distinct services,” the AGCM said. “This could harm competing AI services and limit consumer choice.”
The investigation was launched in coordination with relevant offices of the European Commission, underscoring the rising regulatory scrutiny over how tech giants roll out artificial intelligence features in core platforms.
In response, Meta said it is cooperating fully with the investigation. A spokesperson for the company defended the rollout, emphasizing that Meta AI offers users free and convenient access to powerful tools within a familiar platform.
“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 said in an emailed statement.
The AGCM revealed that investigators, with support from Italy’s special antitrust unit of the tax police, have already conducted inspections at Meta’s Italian offices as part of the inquiry.
Under EU competition law, companies found guilty of abusing market dominance can face fines of up to 10% of their global annual turnover—a potentially significant financial risk for Meta.
This probe adds to Meta’s growing list of regulatory hurdles in Europe, where lawmakers and watchdogs are closely examining the intersection of AI, user consent, platform power, and data privacy.
