Italy broadens antitrust probe into Meta over AI tools in WhatsApp – CNA

MILAN :Italy’s antitrust watchdog said it may impose interim measures on Meta as it widened a probe into whether the U.S. tech giant abused its dominance by blocking rival AI chatbots from its messaging service WhatsApp. The case underscores growing regulatory scrutiny of Big Tech’s push into generative AI, as platforms with massive user bases such as WhatsApp become key gateways for new services. On Wednesday, the authority said it was widening an investigation it had opened in July to cover updated terms for WhatsApp’s business platform, which helps firms manage customer communications, and newly added AI chatbot tools in the messaging app. Also on Wednesday, the watchdog said it started a procedure to impose potential interim measures, which may include suspending the new terms and limiting further integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp while the probe continues. WHATSAPP HITS BACK AT “UNFOUNDED CLAIMS” “We strongly reject these unfounded claims,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson added that the WhatsApp API business interface “was never designed to be used for AI chatbots and doing so would place severe strain on our systems”. The Italian regulator had previously alleged Meta abused its dominant position by integrating its Meta AI
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