WhatsApp Bans ChatGPT and Copilot
▼ Summary
– OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot are leaving WhatsApp due to new terms prohibiting non-Meta AI chatbots from using the platform.
– Both companies announced departures because of Meta’s updated WhatsApp Business Solution terms effective January 15, 2026.
– The chatbots will remain accessible on WhatsApp until the January 2026 deadline, with ChatGPT offering chat history transfer but Copilot not providing this option.
– Meta’s policy update specifically bans using WhatsApp’s business API to distribute AI products while still allowing customer service chatbots.
– Other third-party AI chatbots like Perplexity are expected to follow, leaving Meta AI as the sole AI option on WhatsApp from January 2026.
WhatsApp is set to remove third-party AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot from its platform, following new terms of service that restrict how businesses can use its messaging service. These updated rules, announced in October, specifically prevent AI companies from offering their chatbots as standalone products through WhatsApp’s business tools. While the change takes full effect in January 2026, both OpenAI and Microsoft have confirmed their respective chatbots will exit the app by that deadline.
OpenAI shared its plans to withdraw ChatGPT a few weeks ago, with Microsoft announcing a similar move for Copilot more recently. Each company pointed to Meta’s revised WhatsApp Business Solution terms as the reason. Users will still be able to interact with both services on WhatsApp until the cutoff date. ChatGPT subscribers have the option to link their accounts to preserve chat history, though Copilot users will not be offered the same feature.
Meta’s policy update targets AI providers whose core product is the chatbot itself, not those using automated messaging for customer support or service updates. This distinction allows other businesses to continue operating support bots on WhatsApp, while effectively blocking competitors from reaching users through Meta’s infrastructure. A company spokesperson explained to TechCrunch that the WhatsApp Business API exists to help organizations deliver customer assistance and useful notifications, not to host external AI services.
As a result of the new terms, additional AI chatbots, including Perplexity and similar platforms, are expected to follow suit and announce their own departures. Starting January 2026, Meta AI will become the only chatbot option available within WhatsApp, consolidating the company’s position in the messaging-based AI space.
(Source: The Verge)
