Meta has begun permitting competing AI firms to offer their chatbots on WhatsApp to users in Brazil for a fee. This move follows a similar announcement made just one day earlier for users in Europe.

Earlier this week, Brazil's antitrust authority, CADE, ruled against Meta and denied its appeal to block an order suspending a policy change that would have restricted third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp.

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The regulator's decision stated that banning these third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp "would not be proportionate" and could lead to harm for market competition.

In response, Meta stated it will allow third-party AI chatbot providers to utilize its WhatsApp Business API to deliver their services on the app for a fee, but only in regions where it is legally obligated to do so. Starting March 11, the company will charge $0.0625 per "non-template message" in Brazil.

A Meta spokesperson explained, "Where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots through the WhatsApp business API, we are introducing pricing for the companies that choose to use our platform to provide those services."

This policy shift was first announced by Meta last October and quickly prompted multiple antitrust investigations. A key point of scrutiny is that Meta offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, directly within WhatsApp.

The company has consistently argued that its WhatsApp Business API was not originally built to support AI chatbots and that such services place a significant strain on its systems.