WhatsApp bans AI chatbots from its platform, OpenAI and others to lose access soon

Meta has updated its WhatsApp Business API policy to prohibit general-purpose AI assistants starting January 2026. This move aims to preserve WhatsApp’s infrastructure and monetisation while limiting third-party chatbot use. WhatsApp ban AI chatbot from its platform New Delhi, UPDATED: Oct 19, 2025 12:08 IST WhatsApp is putting an end to the chatbot invasion. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has quietly updated its Business API policy to prohibit general-purpose AI assistants from operating on its platform, a decision that will send ripples through the fast-growing ecosystem of WhatsApp-based bots. From OpenAI’s ChatGPT to AI helpers by Perplexity, Luzia, and Poke, several companies have been building assistants on WhatsApp to tap into its staggering user base of over 3 billion. But starting January 15, 2026, those days are numbered. The new policy explicitly bars “AI providers” from distributing or hosting general-purpose assistants through WhatsApp’s Business API. Meta added a dedicated section to its terms to address this growing use case, stating, “Providers and developers of artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies, including but not limited to large language models, generative artificial intelligence platforms, general-purpose artificial intelligence assistants, or similar technologies as determined by Meta in its sole discretion (‘AI Providers’), are strictly
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