Italy’s competition authority, AGCM, has commenced an investigation into Meta Platforms concerning potential abuses of market dominance related to its AI tool’s integration into WhatsApp.
The probe seeks to determine whether Meta’s actions contravene European Union (EU) competition regulations. AGCM suspects that the addition of Meta AI assistant into the messaging service WhatsApp without user consent can potentially harm competitors.
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“The Italian Competition Authority, acting in close cooperation with the competent departments of the European Commission, has decided to launch an investigation into Meta Platforms, Meta Platforms Ireland, WhatsApp Ireland and Facebook Italy – referred to as Meta – over a suspected abuse of dominant position in violation of article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),” AGCM stated in a statement.
Meta AI functions as a chatbot or AI assistant, leveraging AI to address a variety of general queries and offering interactions akin to virtual assistants.
The authority said that Meta decided to pre-install its AI service on WhatsApp app in March 2025, without user initiation. The AI tool is prominently featured on the screen and integrated into the search bar.
The regulator contends that this integration could unfairly direct users toward Meta’s AI services, potentially restricting competition and confining users to the platform.
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By GlobalData“By combining Meta AI with WhatsApp, Meta appears capable of channelling its customer base into the emerging market, not through merit-based competition, but by ‘imposing’ the availability of the two distinct services upon users, potentially harming competitors,” the authority added.
AGCM has already conducted inspections at the premises of Meta’s Italian subsidiary, assisted by the Special Antitrust Unit of the Italian Financial Police.
Meanwhile, Meta has said that it is cooperating with the investigation. It added that its AI service is advantageous for users.
A Meta spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement: “Offering free access to our AI features in WhatsApp gives millions of Italians the choice to use AI in a place they already know, trust and understand.”
Under EU competition rules, companies found guilty of abusing a dominant position may face fines up to 10% of their global revenue.
Earlier in July 2025, France’s competition authority began an investigation into Meta Platforms’ alleged dominance in the online advertising market.
