In a significant regulatory pivot, Meta announced on January 28, 2026, that it will begin charging developers for third-party AI chatbots operating in Italy.
This decision follows a high-profile showdown with the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), which recently ordered Meta to suspend its proposed ban on rival AI chatbots (like ChatGPT and Perplexity) from the WhatsApp Business API. In response, Meta is complying with the “forced access” but introducing a new pricing tier to manage the technical load.
1. The New Pricing Structure
Starting February 16, 2026, AI developers using the WhatsApp Business API for general-purpose chatbots in Italy will be subject to a per-message fee for “non-template” responses.
| Fee Type | Rate per Message |
| Euro (€) | €0.0572 |
| US Dollar ($) | $0.0691 |
| British Pound (£) | £0.0498 |
Unlike standard customer service messages—which usually have a free 24-hour window—these specific AI-driven responses will be charged from the very first message.
2. Why Italy? The Regulatory Spark
Italy has become the first global testing ground for this pricing model due to specific local antitrust intervention:
- The “Ban” Blocked: In late 2025, Meta tried to ban general-purpose AI bots from WhatsApp to protect system integrity. The AGCM intervened, calling the move “anti-competitive.”
- Platform Access: The regulator mandated that Meta must allow rivals access to its 2-billion-user ecosystem to prevent Meta AI from having an unfair advantage.
- Meta’s Defense: Meta argued that third-party bots like ChatGPT and Perplexity cause “unplanned message spikes” and strain media-processing systems without providing revenue under the old model.
3. Impact on AI Developers
For popular AI assistants, these costs could scale rapidly. A bot handling just 10,000 queries a day in Italy would result in a monthly bill of approximately €17,160 ($18,600).
- The “Pass-Through” Model: Many developers are expected to pass these costs to Italian users, potentially leading to “WhatsApp-specific” subscription fees for AI tools.
- Template vs. Free-form: Standard business bots used for order tracking or FAQs (which use pre-approved templates) are not subject to this specific “AI surcharge.”
4. Future Outlook: A Global Blueprint?
The “Italian Model” is being closely watched by the European Commission, which is running a parallel investigation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
- EU-Wide Rollout: If the EU agrees with Italy’s stance, Meta is expected to expand this $0.0691 per-message fee across the entire European Economic Area (EEA).
- The “App Store” Argument: Meta has officially contested the Italian order, stating that “WhatsApp is not a de-facto app store” and that AI companies should reach users via their own websites or dedicated apps.
Conclusion: The End of “Free” Third-Party Bots
The era of accessing high-end AI assistants on WhatsApp for free appears to be ending, starting with Italy. By turning regulatory pressure into a revenue stream, Meta is ensuring that if it must open its doors to rivals, those rivals will have to pay for the “privilege” of using its infrastructure.
