WhatsApp bans ChatGPT and Copilot: what changes starting January 2026

Meta has decided to change WhatsApp and has banned third-party artificial intelligence assistants, directly impacting ChatGPT and Copilot. The decision will force millions of users to stop using these tools within the app.

According to TechCrunch, both OpenAI and Microsoft have announced that they will withdraw their chatbots from WhatsApp on January 15, 2026.

A change in the rules

The ban affects any chatbot whose AI is the main product. In other words, if the bot exists to access an external AI, it is automatically rejected. Meanwhile, bots that provide support to customers or businesses will be able to continue operating without issues.

In other words, the only AI that will not be affected by these rules is Meta AI, the company's own assistant. For many analysts, the goal is clear: push users toward its ecosystem and block the competition.

A setback after a year of growing integration

The measure is surprising, since WhatsApp had been integrating more and more features designed for these chatbots. At first, ChatGPT functioned as a regular contact; later, special features such as image uploads and account synchronization were enabled.

With the new policy, that path is cut off at the root. There will be no exceptions, and any bot whose purpose is to use an external AI must disappear from the platform.

What happens to users

OpenAI has confirmed that those who have synchronized their account will be able to keep their history and continue accessing it from the web or the official ChatGPT app. However, Microsoft doesn't offer that feature, so Copilot chats will be lost permanently.

As for Perplexity, another AI service with its own bot on WhatsApp, it has not yet detailed how it will handle its transition, but it will also have to withdraw before January 15, 2026.