WhatsApp has announced a major update to its terms of service that will directly impact millions of users and businesses relying on external AI assistants. Starting January 15th, 2026, the platform will officially ban all third-party LLM chatbots, including ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and other non-Meta AI integrations. This marks a significant shift in WhatsApp’s approach to AI usage inside the messaging platform, tightening control over automation and conversational tools.
Under the upcoming policy, WhatsApp will only allow AI tools created and approved by Meta itself. This move comes as Meta continues to expand its own AI ecosystem across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. By restricting external AI, the company aims to centralize user experience, maintain tighter data controls, and reduce security or compliance risks associated with third-party bots.
The biggest change affects users who rely on third-party AI chatbots within WhatsApp. From the enforcement date, apps like ChatGPT and Copilot will no longer function inside the platform. Meta has confirmed that the ban applies across both personal and business accounts, with only one limited exception.
WhatsApp will allow certain businesses to continue using AI-powered bots, but only if those bots are specifically designed to manage and respond to customer inquiries. These enterprise-focused tools must also comply with Meta’s business API and data guidelines. This exception ensures companies can still automate support without depending on external conversational AI systems.
OpenAI revealed its upcoming departure from WhatsApp last month, while Microsoft confirmed that Copilot will be removed earlier this week.
For users affected by this shift:
ChatGPT users will have the option to migrate their existing WhatsApp chat history. This ensures continuity and allows conversations to be moved outside the WhatsApp environment without data loss.
Microsoft Copilot users will not have the ability to migrate their chat history. Once the ban takes effect, conversations and records associated with Copilot integrations will no longer be accessible within WhatsApp.
The policy change is expected to reshape how AI-powered messaging works across Meta’s ecosystem. Developers and enterprises may need to shift their focus toward Meta’s native AI solutions or move their chatbot operations to alternative platforms that allow wider third-party integration. As Meta continues pushing its own AI models, WhatsApp users should expect deeper AI-driven features but fewer external options.
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