EU Launches Antitrust Investigation into Meta Over New WhatsApp AI Policy That Excludes Rival Chatbots

This news story is highly relevant to investors and business professionals managing investment portfolios, particularly in the technology, regulatory, and AI sectors. The European Union launching an antitrust probe into Meta over its policy banning rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp represents a significant regulatory development with potential implications for Meta’s business model, competitive positioning, and future revenue streams. Such regulatory scrutiny can lead to fines, forced changes in platform policies, or restrictions on how Meta integrates AI into its products — all of which affect valuation, risk assessment, and long-term strategy. Given the EU's aggressive stance on digital regulation (e.g., DMA, GDPR), this case sets a precedent that could influence how other tech giants operate in Europe and globally. The story falls squarely into the 'critical business news' category due to its regulatory, competitive, and strategic implications for a major tech company and the broader AI ecosystem.