Meta has announced that it will begin charging developers to operate AI chatbots on WhatsApp in Italy, marking a shift in the company’s approach to third-party AI integration on the platform. The move comes after Meta enforced a ban on third-party chatbots via the WhatsApp Business API on January 15, citing system strain from AI-driven messaging. Now, in response to regulatory pressure from Italy’s competition watchdog, which had previously asked Meta to suspend the ban in December, the company is introducing a pricing model for non-template AI responses. Starting February 16, developers will be charged $0.0691, €0.0572, or £0.0498 per message for AI-generated responses. This fee could quickly add up for developers serving high volumes of users, especially if chatbots handle thousands of interactions daily. Previously, in early February, Meta sent notifications to developers allowing AI chatbots to serve users with Italian phone numbers, but at that time, no mention was made of upcoming fees. The company now says that where it is legally required to permit AI chatbots—such as in Italy—it will charge businesses that choose to use the WhatsApp Business API for these services. WhatsApp already charges companies for sending template messages used in customer service, marketing, authentication, and transactional updates—such as shipping alerts or payment reminders. The new pricing extends this model to AI-driven conversations, which are not covered by existing templates. Meta originally announced in October that it would block all third-party AI chatbots from using the WhatsApp Business API, stating that its infrastructure was not built to handle the scale and complexity of AI-generated responses. The company argued that WhatsApp is not a platform for app distribution and that AI developers should instead use app stores, websites, and direct partnerships to reach users. Since then, regulatory scrutiny has intensified. The European Union, Italy, and Brazil have launched antitrust investigations into Meta’s policy. While Brazil’s watchdog initially ordered Meta to lift the ban, a Brazilian court recently ruled in Meta’s favor, overturning the order. As a result, Meta has now instructed developers not to offer AI chatbots to users in Brazil. Following the January 15 policy change, developers have been forced to send users a standard message redirecting them to their websites or apps. Major companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft have confirmed that their WhatsApp chatbots are no longer functional, urging users to access their services elsewhere.