Meta’s cracking down on its WhatsApp platform by kicking out rival AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot starting January 15, 2026, thanks to new terms that ban using the app for distributing non-Meta AI tools, effectively blocking competitors from poaching users. OpenAI’s already announced its exit, with Microsoft hot on its heels, giving folks until that date to wrap up interactions—though ChatGPT users can migrate their chat history by linking accounts, while Copilot fans are out of luck. This move is all about WhatsApp focusing on its core purpose: helping businesses handle customer support and updates, not serving as a free ride for AI rivals. For SMBs and MSPs relying on these bots for quick customer service hacks, it’s a wake-up call to explore Meta’s own AI options or alternative platforms before the deadline hits, or risk scrambling to keep operations smooth. Meanwhile, expect other third-party AIs like Perplexity to follow suit, leaving Meta AI as the lonely king of the hill in WhatsApp chats.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/829808/chatgpt-copilot-ai-llm-leaving-whatsapp-meta
