Italian Authorities Probe Meta Over Unconsented AI Use in WhatsApp

Italian authorities have launched an investigation into Meta over concerns that the tech giant may have violated European Union competition laws by integrating its artificial intelligence tool into WhatsApp.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, began rolling out its AI assistant, Meta AI, on WhatsApp earlier this year. The move has raised alarms among regulators who believe the integration may unfairly steer users toward Meta’s AI services.

According to Italy’s antitrust agency, Meta holds a dominant position in the consumer communications market and may have leveraged that dominance by embedding its AI tool into WhatsApp without offering users a clear choice. Officials argue this could result in users being funneled into the emerging AI space through non-competitive means.

The regulator warned that such practices could harm rival companies that don’t have the same platform reach and could limit fair competition. There is also concern that users could become increasingly reliant on Meta AI over time, as the tool tailors responses based on user data, potentially creating a form of dependency.

On Tuesday, Italian financial police and officials from the antitrust agency inspected Meta’s local offices as part of the investigation. The probe is being conducted in coordination with relevant departments at the European Commission.

Authorities are expected to assess whether the integration of Meta AI constitutes an abuse of market power under EU competition law.