After Europe, WhatsApp will let rival AI companies offer chatbots in Brazil

Meta is allowing rival AI companies to provide their chatbots on WhatsApp to Brazilian users for a fee, a day after the company confirmed a similar decision for users in Europe. The move follows Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE ruling against Meta and rejecting its appeal to block an earlier order that would have suspended the policy change seeking to bar third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp.

"Upon reviewing the case, the CADE Tribunal determined that the necessary requirements for maintaining the preventive measure were present. According to the case rapporteur, Councilor Carlos Jacques, there is evidence of legal plausibility, considering the relevance of WhatsApp in the Brazilian instant messaging services market," CADE’s ruling reads.

The regulator added that banning third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp "would not be proportionate" and could result in competitive harm.

Brazil, Europe

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