Meta has announced that general-purpose AI assistants will be banned from WhatsApp from 15 January 2026. 

The move, outlined in an update to the WhatsApp Business API policy, targets AI-powered bots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and assistants from Perplexity, Luzia, and Poke, which have been leveraging WhatsApp’s vast user base of over three billion.

The new policy explicitly prohibits “AI providers” from distributing or hosting assistants whose primary function is artificial intelligence. 

Meta clarified that any AI or machine learning technology, including large language models and generative AI platforms, will not be allowed if it constitutes the main functionality of a WhatsApp bot. Incidental or supplementary AI features may still be permitted.

Meta said the decision is intended to safeguard WhatsApp’s infrastructure and monetisation while curbing the growing influence of third-party chatbots on the platform. The company has added a dedicated section in its terms to address the rising use of AI in messaging.