ChatGPT Returns to WhatsApp in Europe After EU Forces Meta’s Hand – Memeburn

OpenAI restored ChatGPT on WhatsApp across the European Economic Area on July 13, 2026, ending a six-month ban that removed more than 50 million users from the platform’s most popular third-party AI chatbot. The return follows the European Commission’s interim measures decision on June 9 , which ordered Meta to restore free access for rival AI assistants within five working days or face fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue . Alongside the WhatsApp comeback, OpenAI expanded ChatGPT to KakaoTalk in South Korea and Viber in supported markets, signaling a broader strategy to distribute the chatbot across messaging platforms it does not control. What Changed on WhatsApp Users in the EEA, which includes all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, can now message the verified 1-800-CHATGPT contact at +1-800-242-8478 directly inside WhatsApp. According to OpenAI’s release notes , the restored service supports text messaging, image uploads, voice notes, AI image generation, and multi-language responses. No ChatGPT account is required to start using it. Linking an existing account is optional and provides higher usage limits. Availability is determined by the country code associated with a user’s WhatsApp number and may roll out gradually. For
Read More