Meta is tightening the rules inside WhatsApp, and its AI rivals are the first to go.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot will officially leave WhatsApp on January 15th, 2026, following a major update to WhatsApp’s Business Solution Terms.
The new policy bans any AI chatbot not built by Meta from using WhatsApp as a distribution channel. In other words: if the AI is the product, it can’t live on WhatsApp anymore.
Meta is protecting its turf
The policy shift was first announced in October, but the consequences are now hitting in full force. Meta explained that the WhatsApp Business API is designed for customer support and service bots, not for competitors to reach millions of users through Meta’s own pipes.
So while brands can still run automated support agents via WhatsApp, AI companies offering standalone chatbots cannot. And that includes the biggest players in the game.
What happens to users?
ChatGPT will stay until January 15, 2026, and users can link their accounts to preserve chat history. Copilot will also disappear on that date, without an account-linking option.
Perplexity and others will likely follow soon, making Meta AI the only chatbot available on WhatsApp from next year.
It’s a bold move, and a very clear signal. Meta doesn’t just want WhatsApp to be an AI platform… It wants it to be Meta’s AI platform.