Meta under Italian scrutiny for integrating AI assistant into WhatsApp without consent

New Delhi: The Italian competition authority has opened an investigation into Meta Platforms over concerns that the tech company may have abused its dominant market position by incorporating its artificial intelligence assistant into WhatsApp without securing user consent, according to Reuters..

The Rome-based watchdog, known as AGCM, stated that the move could potentially violate European Union competition regulations and harm rival AI service providers by giving Meta an unfair advantage.

According to the regulator, Meta AI,  which provides chatbot-style replies and virtual assistant functionalities,  has been integrated into WhatsApp’s search interface since March 2025. The authority raised concerns that this inclusion may steer users towards Meta’s own AI offering, thereby limiting competition and reducing consumer choice.

"By pairing Meta AI with WhatsApp, Meta appears to be able to steer its user base into the new market not through merit-based competition, but by 'forcing' users to accept the availability of two distinct services, potentially harming competing services," AGCM told Reuters.

The AGCM added that it was working “in close cooperation with the relevant offices of the European Commission”. It also confirmed that its officials, along with Italy’s tax police special antitrust unit, conducted inspections at Meta’s Italian offices as part of the probe, according to the report .

Under EU law, companies found guilty of abusing market dominance can face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover.