If you've been chatting with AI bots like ChatGPT or Perplexity on WhatsApp, things are about to change. Starting January 15, 2026, these bots will no longer be allowed on the platform. Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, has quietly changed its rules to ban general-purpose AI assistants from using WhatsApp’s Business API.

Over the last year, many AI companies used WhatsApp to offer smart assistants that could answer questions, read documents, generate images, and more. It was a hit, especially because WhatsApp has over 3 billion users globally. But now, Meta says that’s not what the platform was made for.

According to Meta, the Business API was built to help businesses talk to their customers, for example, sending flight updates, answering support questions, or confirming deliveries. It wasn’t designed to host powerful AI bots that chat all day and handle tons of tasks.

Meta also said these bots were creating too much traffic, with constant back-and-forth messages, media sharing, and voice notes, which their system wasn’t built to handle. On top of that, Meta wasn’t earning much from these bots, as there were no proper pricing rules for AI usage.

So, the new policy says only bots doing specific tasks (like helping with customer service or booking info) will be allowed. General AI chatbots, the kind that can do almost anything, will be blocked. The only one staying? Meta’s own AI assistant. So by 2026, don’t be surprised if your favorite AI chatbot on WhatsApp disappears. Unless it’s made by Meta, it won’t be allowed to stay.