Meta grants rivals free WhatsApp access to appease EU

Meta will allow rival AI chatbots free access to WhatsApp's business API for one month as it works to resolve EU antitrust concerns. The move follows a series of regulatory clashes after Meta blocked third-party AI providers last October, prompting an EU investigation that found the company breaching antitrust rules. The EU welcomed the temporary concession but warned the window for discussion is short and conditional on Meta's genuine intent to address concerns. Meta faces fines of up to 10 percent of global annual turnover if ultimately found to have broken antitrust law.