OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot are preparing to leave WhatsApp, one of their largest global distribution channels, as Meta moves ahead with sweeping policy changes that will bar AI companies from using the platform to deliver chatbots not built by Meta.
The withdrawal follows upcoming updates to WhatsApp’s Business Solution terms of service, which come into force on January 15th, 2026. Both OpenAI and Microsoft confirmed that their chatbots will remain functional inside WhatsApp until that date, after which the service will be shut down.
OpenAI first announced its departure several weeks ago. Microsoft followed this week with a similar announcement. Each company pointed directly to Meta’s revised terms as the reason the chatbots must exit. The changes target business API usage, limiting it strictly to customer support and informational messaging rather than the distribution of standalone AI assistants.
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The policy was first signaled in October, when WhatsApp outlined updated rules that specifically prevent external AI firms from delivering consumer-facing chatbot experiences. Meta has argued that the business API was never designed to serve as a launchpad for rival AI companies and is instead intended for businesses to interact with their customers, send updates, and provide support.
A Meta spokesperson, speaking anonymously to TechCrunch at the time, said: “The purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates. Our focus is on supporting the tens of thousands of businesses who are building these experiences on WhatsApp.”
The change leaves little room for interpretation. External companies can still deploy automated systems for customer service, but any product that uses WhatsApp as the core channel for AI interaction will no longer be allowed. This directly affects ChatGPT and Copilot, which operate inside WhatsApp as complete AI assistants rather than backend tools.
Users will have different experiences when the transition begins. ChatGPT users will be able to link their accounts to WhatsApp before the shutdown so their chat history remains accessible outside the messaging app. Copilot users do not have access to any such option. Once Copilot leaves WhatsApp in January 2026, conversations held inside the app will not carry over unless users export them manually.
The decision is expected to trigger further departures. Other chatbot makers, including Perplexity, fall under the same restrictions and are likely to announce their exit in the coming weeks. By next January, Meta AI will stand as the only general-purpose conversational assistant officially accessible within WhatsApp.
For Meta, the policy marks a strategic tightening of its ecosystem. WhatsApp, with more than two billion users, has become an important gateway for consumer-facing automation. By limiting access, Meta not only reshapes the competitive landscape for AI assistants but also secures exclusive control over how conversational AI lives inside its most widely used platform.
The adjustment also underlines the increasing tension around distribution channels in the AI industry. Messaging apps have become critical real estate. With WhatsApp now closing its doors to external AI tools, ChatGPT, Copilot, and other companies must rely more heavily on their own mobile apps, web platforms, and integration deals to reach users.