WhatsApp to charge AI chatbot developers in Italy

Meta announced it will begin charging developers for operating AI chatbots on WhatsApp in regions where regulators mandate access to the platform. This decision follows a ban on third-party chatbots that took effect January 15. Initially, Meta will apply charges in Italy, where competition authorities requested suspension of the ban policy last December. The new pricing for non-template AI responses starts February 16, with rates set at $0.0691 per message. This could lead to significant costs for developers whose chatbots handle thousands of daily user queries. While WhatsApp already charges businesses for template messages like marketing or authentication communications, this marks the first time AI chatbot interactions will incur per-message fees. Meta stated its systems were not designed to handle AI bot responses and faced operational strain. The company previously blocked third-party AI chatbots from using its WhatsApp Business API last October, citing system limitations. Following regulatory investigations in regions including the EU, Italy, and Brazil, Meta is now implementing charges where legally required. Brazil's courts recently overturned an initial order blocking Meta's policy, leading the company to instruct developers not to provide AI chatbots to Brazilian users. Since the policy implementation, developers must redirect WhatsApp users to alternative platforms via predefined messages. Several AI providers like OpenAI and Microsoft announced their WhatsApp bots would cease functioning after January 15, directing users to access services elsewhere.