OpenAI and Microsoft are both preparing to remove their AI chatbots, ChatGPT and Copilot, from WhatsApp by January 15, 2026, following new terms of service announced by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp. The changes, first revealed in October, restrict the use of WhatsApp’s Business API to only support customer service and business communication tools, effectively banning third-party general-purpose AI chatbots from using the platform as a distribution channel. Meta’s updated policy aims to ensure the WhatsApp Business API remains focused on helping companies deliver support and updates to their customers, not on serving AI products as standalone services. While businesses can still use AI to power their own customer support bots, the policy explicitly prohibits AI companies from using WhatsApp to distribute their chatbots to the public. This move is seen as a strategic effort to protect Meta’s own AI ambitions, particularly its growing Meta AI chatbot, by limiting the ability of competitors to reach users through the widely used messaging app. OpenAI had already announced its exit from WhatsApp in recent weeks, stating that the ChatGPT integration would be discontinued on the specified date. Microsoft followed suit, confirming that Copilot will no longer be available on WhatsApp after January 15, 2026. Users will need to switch to Microsoft’s official Copilot mobile apps or access the chatbot via the web to continue using it. A key concern for users is the loss of chat history. Unlike OpenAI’s integration, which allowed users to link their accounts to preserve conversation records, Microsoft’s Copilot on WhatsApp was unauthenticated, meaning no data transfer is possible. As a result, users are advised to manually export their chat history using WhatsApp’s built-in tools before the deadline to avoid losing their interactions. The policy change is expected to impact other AI companies as well. Perplexity, among others, is likely to follow suit and discontinue its WhatsApp presence, leaving Meta AI as the only AI chatbot available on the platform after the transition. This shift consolidates WhatsApp’s role as a business communication tool while closing a major channel for AI companies to scale their user bases. Meta has emphasized that the change is not about blocking all AI use, but about maintaining the API’s intended purpose. “The purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates,” a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. The company wants to support the tens of thousands of businesses already using the platform to build customer experiences, not to serve as a public distribution network for AI products. The move underscores the growing competition between tech giants in the AI space, with Meta seeking to control the user experience and data flow through its own ecosystem. As AI chatbots become more central to daily digital interactions, the platforms that host them are becoming critical battlegrounds for market dominance. For now, both OpenAI and Microsoft are complying with the new rules, even as they express concern over the impact on user access. The decision marks a significant moment in the evolution of AI distribution, highlighting how platform policies can shape the reach and availability of emerging technologies. As the January 15, 2026, deadline approaches, users of ChatGPT and Copilot on WhatsApp are being urged to plan their transition to alternative access points.