Meta updated WhatsApp Business Solution terms on January 15, 2026, blocking general-purpose AI assistants from the platform. ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity can't operate through WhatsApp's Business API anymore.
Customer service chatbots still work fine. Meta's targeting AI services where the chatbot is the core product, not companies using AI to help customers.
What Changed
Meta now explicitly prohibits "AI Providers" from using WhatsApp Business Solution as a distribution channel. An AI assistant that exists mainly for open-ended conversations? Banned. A chatbot helping customers track orders or book appointments? Still allowed.
A travel agency automating booking confirmations uses AI incidentally. That's fine. An AI chat service that runs primarily through WhatsApp crosses the line Meta just drew.
Why Meta Did This
General-purpose chatbots generated message volumes the Business API wasn't built for. Meta also wants control over monetization. The Business API is a revenue channel, and generic AI assistants didn't fit that model.
Then there's competition. Meta AI is now the only general-purpose assistant on WhatsApp. Meta cleared the field.
What Marketing Teams Need to Know
If you're using WhatsApp Business App or the official API for customer communications, your operations don't change. The core rules stayed the same:
Get explicit opt-in before messaging anyone. Document it with web forms, CRM notes, call recordings, whatever proves consent.
Use only approved message templates for proactive outreach. Meta reviews and approves these first. After a customer messages you, the 24-hour window lets you respond freely.
Maintain response rates above 20% and spam reports below 0.3%. These metrics determine your quality tier and message limits.
Don't use third-party Chrome extensions or unauthorized bulk messaging tools. Meta's systems flag these fast, and penalties range from throttling to permanent bans.
The Compliance Reality
WhatsApp's quality tier system controls how many messages you can send. Drop below the thresholds and Meta automatically restricts your account.
Keep your WhatsApp Business profile accurate with your company name, description, and contact information. When customers recognize who's messaging them, blocks and reports drop.
Make opt-outs instant. Most violations happen in the gap between someone requesting removal and you actually stopping their messages.
If you can't prove someone opted in, don't message them. Period.
Official Sources
WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy explains what's allowed. WhatsApp Business Solution Terms cover technical requirements. Policy Enforcement documentation details Meta's review process.
What This Means Long-term
These restrictions target AI providers more than regular businesses. But they reinforce something worth remembering: platform access isn't guaranteed.
WhatsApp delivers engagement rates email can't touch, which is why Meta protects user experience so aggressively. Every major platform (Google, Meta, LinkedIn) tightens compliance over time. The workarounds that worked last year become bannable offenses this year.
For marketing teams running automation across channels, this pattern matters. Official integrations and documented consent aren't optional anymore. Platforms change rules suddenly. Your systems need to handle that.
