Meta will begin charging developers to run AI chatbots on WhatsApp in regions where regulators have required the company to allow third-party bots, marking a shift in how access to the messaging platform is priced following recent policy disputes.
Pricing Introduced After Regulatory Intervention
Meta said on Wednesday that it will charge developers in Italy for AI generated responses delivered through WhatsApp, after the country’s competition authority asked the company to suspend its ban on third-party chatbots last December.
The new pricing for non-template AI responses will take effect on February 16. Developers will be charged $0.0691, €0.0572, or £0.0498 per message. Meta said this pricing applies only in regions where it is legally required to allow third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp.
The per-message fee could result in high costs for developers whose chatbots handle large volumes of user queries.
Italy Exemption And Prior Notice To Developers
Earlier this month, Meta notified developers that it was creating an exemption for Italian phone numbers, allowing AI chatbots to continue operating for those users. At the time, the company did not indicate that usage would be subject to new charges.
Italy is currently the only country where Meta has confirmed the introduction of chatbot pricing tied directly to regulatory requirements.
Existing WhatsApp Business Charges
WhatsApp already charges businesses for using its Business API to send template messages. These include categories such as marketing, utility, and authentication messages, covering use cases like shipping updates and payment reminders.
Meta said the new chatbot pricing applies specifically to AI generated responses that fall outside those existing template categories.
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that pricing is being introduced only where the company is legally required to provide AI chatbot access through the WhatsApp Business API. The spokesperson said this approach could extend to other regions if similar regulatory obligations arise.
Background To The Chatbot Ban
Meta announced in October that it would block all third-party AI chatbots from operating on WhatsApp through its Business API, with the policy taking effect on January 15.
At the time, Meta said its infrastructure was not designed to support AI chatbot traffic and that the increased load was straining its systems. The company said WhatsApp should not be treated as a distribution platform for AI services and that AI companies should reach users through app stores, websites, or partnerships instead.
Regulatory Scrutiny In Multiple Regions
Since the policy was announced, regulators in several regions have examined Meta’s approach. Authorities in the EU, Italy, and Brazil have opened anticompetitive probes.
Brazil’s competition watchdog initially ordered Meta to suspend the policy, but a court overturned that decision last week. Following the ruling, Meta has asked developers not to provide AI chatbots to users in Brazil, according to information obtained by TechCrunch.
Impact On AI Providers And Users
Since the policy took effect, developers have been required to send predefined messages directing users away from WhatsApp to external apps or websites to continue using AI services.
Several providers, including OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft, said last year that their WhatsApp bots would stop working after January 15 and advised users to access their services through other platforms.
Featured image credits: NeedPix
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