WhatsApp updates Business API to ban general-purpose chatbots
Meta-owned WhatsApp has announced a significant update to its Business API policy, prohibiting the use of general-purpose chatbots on its platform starting from January 15, 2026. This revision will affect AI assistants developed by firms including OpenAI, Perplexity, Luzia, and Poke, restricting their operation through WhatsApp’s Business Solution if artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies, such as large language models or generative AI platforms, form the core functionality of the service. Meta retains the authority to decide which services fall under these updated restrictions.
Clarifying the policy, Meta specified that this does not impact businesses employing AI-based tools for customer service purposes on WhatsApp—for instance, a travel company running a support chatbot will continue to operate without issue. The intent behind the WhatsApp Business API is to enable businesses to deliver customer support and send pertinent updates, not to serve as a distribution channel for AI assistants. Meta cited a surge in message volume and the need for additional support caused by general-purpose chatbot activity as reasons for the policy revision, highlighting that such use cases stray from the API’s original design.
This move effectively bars WhatsApp from being utilized as a platform for distributing AI solutions, positioning Meta AI as the sole chatbot available within the ecosystem. Previously launched AI bots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT last year and Perplexity’s earlier this year, allowed users to engage with AI for various queries, media analysis, voice notes, and image generation, leading to a considerable rise in messaging traffic. Meta noted that the WhatsApp Business API represents a major revenue stream, charging businesses for message templates in categories like marketing, utility, authentication, and support. General-purpose chatbots, falling outside the intended API design, limited WhatsApp’s ability to effectively monetize these interactions.
During the company’s Q1 2025 earnings discussion, Mark Zuckerberg underscored the importance of business messaging as a potential revenue driver for Meta, especially given WhatsApp’s extensive user base exceeding 3 billion monthly active users. This policy adjustment reflects an effort to maintain the platform’s focus on meaningful business communications while optimizing revenue generation through controlled API usage.
