Meta Offers WhatsApp Access to AI Rivals in Europe, but There’s a Catch

Tech giant Meta Platforms (META) has offered rival AI chatbots, including OpenAI, free access to WhatsApp in Europe for a limited time as it tries to address issues from EU antitrust regulators. According to Reuters, the offer would let competitors use WhatsApp’s business API, which is the software interface that allows outside systems to connect with the messaging app. However, Meta would start charging those AI chatbot rivals once they reach a certain message limit.

The proposal comes after the European Commission said it was considering forcing Meta to give rivals access to WhatsApp while it continues investigating the case. EU regulators are trying to keep the growing market for AI assistants open and competitive, especially as Big Tech companies move quickly to control new digital platforms. Notably, Meta had introduced a policy in January that only allowed its own Meta AI assistant on WhatsApp, then changed the policy in March to allow rivals access for a fee.

However, after a second charge sheet from the EU, Meta paused the fees for a month while it worked on a proposal. Still, smaller AI companies are not satisfied. For instance, The Interaction Company of California, which created the Poke.com AI assistant, and French startup Agentik both criticized Meta’s offer after complaining to the Commission. The Interaction Company said that Meta’s proposal does not resolve the competition concerns, while Agentik founder Jeremy Andre argued that the offer is unfair because it does not apply to Meta’s own AI.

What Is the Price Target for Meta?

Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on META stock based on 31 Buys, seven Holds, and zero Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. Furthermore, the average META price target of $817.71 per share implies 35.8% upside potential.