WhatsApp bot support for AI assistants have made ChatGPT, Copilot and other options easily available to billions.
WhatsApp is blocking access for third-party AI assistants from January 2026 and Microsoft is the latest tech giant to confirm the news about its Copilot assistant to exit the messaging app in a few months from now.
AI chatbots have operated like WhatsApp bots for a while, ChatGPT being the other popular option, but all these companies will have to disable the feature thanks to the change in policies by Meta that will be coming into effect from January 15, 2026. Copilot is basically Microsoft’s ChatGPT AI chatbot that lets you ask queries, generate images and search the internet when needed.
Copilot Bites The WhatsApp Dust
Meta has noticed that most of the Businesses using its app API have devised ways to integrate their AI assistant that serves the general users.
The company has now changed the rules by stopping these companies from building their AI assistant bots and making them available on WhatsApp. Meta has clearly stated in its new rules that any bot operating primarily as an AI assistant will not be allowed to run through the messaging app.
This is a big jolt for ChatGPT and Perplexity among others who have offered their WhatsApp bots to make the features widely available. And you can add Microsoft to that roster, and the company is making sure that users can continue using the AI chatbot on mobile, web and PC without any glitches.
WhatsApp Copilot Chats: Save Them
Microsoft has mentioned that using the WhatsApp Copilot bot chats will not be saved when you move to the native apps on different platforms. However, the company says WhatsApp has a built-in tool that will allow you to export the conversation history which is available until January 15, 2026.
