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Italy said on Wednesday that an investigation by the social media -giant -meta for potential EU competition laws opened by using its AI tool in WhatsApp.
Meta has Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. A few months ago, the Meta -Ki -Tool appeared on the screens of the WhatsApp -Messaging service.
“In March 2025, Meta, which held a dominant position on the market for consumer communication apps, decided to build its artificial intelligence service in the WhatsApp app,” said Italy’s cartel body in a statement.
“In this way, Meta can” impose “the use of his chat bot and AI assistance services for its users.”
Meta-Ki merging with WhatsApp could “impose its customer base into the emerging market, not through a merit competition, but the availability of the two different services for users and possibly” impose “competitors.
The antitrust authority said that on Tuesday it and the Italian financial police carried out an inspection of the premises of the Italian subsidiary of Meta.
It also said that the company examined “in close cooperation with the responsible departments of the European Commission”.
The Italian authorities said there was a risk that users could depend “in” or “functionally dependent on Meta AI as” as “by using the information provided over time. The answers generated by the service are becoming increasingly useful and relevant “.
OC/RL
