WhatsApp updates terms: Company banning general chatbots; Changes from Jan 15

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is updating its Business API policy to prohibit general-purpose AI chatbots, effective January 15, 2026. This move will impact AI assistants from companies like OpenAI and Perplexity, as Meta aims to refocus the API on business customer support and updates, not AI technology distribution. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is updating its Business API policy to prohibit general-purpose AI chatbots, effective January 15, 2026. This move will impact AI assistants from companies like OpenAI and Perplexity, as Meta aims to refocus the API on business customer support and updates, not AI technology distribution.