Summary
- Meta has banned the use of AI chatbots in the WhatsApp Business API starting January 15, 2026.
- The WhatsApp Business API should only be used for communication between companies and customers, according to the company.
- Meta AI will be the only assistant available on WhatsApp after the change.
Meta updated WhatsApp’s API policies and made the presence of artificial intelligence chatbots on the platform unfeasible. This is the case of ChatGPT, which could be accessed via messenger. Perplexity and Luzia were also among the companies that offered their technologies through the app.
The text says that, from January 15, 2026, artificial intelligence providers are prohibited from accessing WhatsApp Business solutions, directly or indirectly, with the aim of making these technologies available, if they are the main service offered.
This means that companies that use AI as part of their service or sales will be able to continue with their current tools. To the TechCrunchMeta explained that a travel company, for example, could continue with a chatbot to solve its customers’ questions or problems.
OpenAI already got the message. On its support page, the company warns that its chatbot will no longer work on WhatsApp from January 15, 2026, when the new rule comes into force. She recommends logging into ChatGPT and connecting your account to the app so you don’t lose your conversation history.
Why did WhatsApp ban other AI chatbots?
To the TechCruncha Meta spokesperson stated that AI chatbots place high demands on the company’s systems, as they represent a large volume of messages and need a different type of support. Furthermore, the company explains that the WhatsApp Business API is intended to help businesses serve their customers and send updates, and that this is Meta’s focus at the moment.
O TechCrunch also notes that, with the ban, Meta AI becomes the only assistant available on WhatsApp. The publication also notes that messages sent via the API are charged based on a categorization that does not provide for AI chatbots, which made it difficult to properly charge for this service.
With information from TechCrunch
Source: https://tecnoblog.net/noticias/whatsapp-proibe-presenca-do-chatgpt-e-outras-ias/
