Meta is pushing rival AI assistants off WhatsApp, forcing popular bots like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to shut down their integrations just as messaging becomes a key battleground for consumer AI.

Access to Copilot via WhatsApp will end on January 15, 2026. WhatsApp parent company Meta will prohibit use of general-purpose AI chatbots including ChatGPT and Perplexity AI through its app.

Meta says AI interactions will be used across its services only for accounts linked in Accounts Center, meaning WhatsApp data won’t personalise other apps unless linked.

Omnichat, a leading omnichannel AI platform, recently hosted the third edition of the Commerce Leadership Forum at Meta Singapore's office. This event brought together senior leaders from across the region to explore how AI-powered business messaging is transforming the retail,