January 5, 2026, 1:46 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Starting January 15, 2026, Meta will prohibit the use of external AI chatbots via the WhatsApp Business API—only Meta’s own AI and the use of AI for customer service will remain. This also affects ChatGPT, which was previously accessible directly through WhatsApp.
Changes to WhatsApp Terms of Use
The WhatsApp Business API was originally developed for customer service purposes, such as automated responses to support inquiries or shipping information. Recently, however, more providers have been offering full-fledged AI chatbots on this platform.
The new WhatsApp terms of use now state that providers of technologies based on artificial intelligence or machine learning will no longer have access to the WhatsApp Business Solution if their bot is the main function of the service—this was the case with ChatGPT, among others.
OpenAI used the messenger as another platform to offer the popular chatbot to users. It was even possible to log in with one’s own OpenAI account to conduct personalized chats. As long as ChatGPT is still available on WhatsApp, users can analyze images, translate texts, and even make requests in the form of voice messages.
Use of External Chatbots Restricted
In the future, companies will only be allowed to use their AI chatbots on WhatsApp for customer service. This includes applications such as travel bookings, responding to customer inquiries, or assisting with shopping. Other types of bots will be blocked by Meta. For general questions or image generation in the messenger, only Meta AI will be available.
Also of interest: Removing the Meta AI Button from WhatsApp—Is It Even Possible?
Meta states that external chatbots cause too much system load and that there is currently no suitable payment model to charge for their use. Whether this is the only reason or if Meta wants to strengthen the position of Meta AI remains unclear.
With the new terms of use for WhatsApp Business Solution taking effect on January 15, 2026, ChatGPT will no longer be available on WhatsApp. OpenAI has announced this on its help page. The company points to the app for iOS and Android, as well as the web version, as alternatives. To preserve chat history, users should also link their account—an automatic transfer does not occur.