Meta to open WhatsApp Business API to rival AI chatbots in Brazil

Meta will allow third-party AI chatbots to operate on WhatsApp in Brazil through the WhatsApp Business API and will charge $0.0625 per non-template message starting March 11, following a ruling by Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE.

CADE rejected Meta’s appeal on March 6, 2026, and said the tribunal found the requirements for maintaining a preventive measure were met. Councilor Carlos Jacques wrote there was evidence of legal plausibility given WhatsApp’s relevance in the Brazilian instant messaging market and added that banning third-party AI chatbots “would not be proportionate” and could cause competitive harm.

Meta confirmed it will comply with legal requirements and open the Business API to rival AI providers for a fee. The company set the Brazilian rate at $0.0625 per non-template message and said the charge will apply beginning March 11. A Meta spokesperson said the pricing applies “where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots through the WhatsApp Business API.”

The dispute stems from an October policy change in which Meta sought to limit third-party chatbots inside WhatsApp. That announcement prompted multiple antitrust reviews because Meta also offers its own AI chatbot within WhatsApp. Meta has argued the WhatsApp Business API was not designed for AI chatbots and that such services place extra strain on its systems.

Some developers that took services offline after Meta’s October announcement have reported they are hesitant to resume operations, citing the new platform fees as a potential barrier.

Zapia, a company that filed the complaint with CADE, welcomed the tribunal’s decision and in a statement said it will continue to challenge restrictions elsewhere in Latin America. “People should be free to choose the AI tools they use, and innovation thrives when platforms remain open,” the company added.

Meta made a similar concession in Europe the day before, saying it would allow third-party chatbots in regions where local rules require it.

Regulators, rival providers and developers have referenced the fee level and Meta’s technical arguments in ongoing legal and commercial discussions about how third-party AI services can operate on WhatsApp in Brazil.