Microsoft’s AI chatbot, Copilot, will cease functioning within WhatsApp starting January 15th. Users who currently interact with Copilot through WhatsApp will need to transition to the official Copilot mobile apps or web interface to continue accessing the AI.
Policy Changes Force Removal
The decision stems from updated WhatsApp policies announced last month by Meta, its parent company. These revisions restrict the use of the WhatsApp Business API for broad-purpose AI chatbots. Meta intends to prioritize the API for direct business-to-customer interactions, rather than serving as a distribution channel for AI tools. This change impacts not only Microsoft but also other companies like OpenAI and Perplexity, which similarly relied on WhatsApp for chatbot access. OpenAI has already announced the end of its WhatsApp integration.
No Chat History Transfer
Users who rely on Copilot through WhatsApp will lose access to their chat history unless they manually export it before the January 15th deadline. Because the integration was unauthenticated, conversations cannot be automatically transferred to Microsoft’s platforms. WhatsApp’s built-in export tools are the only method for preserving past interactions.
Why this matters: Meta’s move signals a shift towards controlling how AI interacts with its messaging platform. By limiting access for general-purpose bots, Meta aims to steer the use of its API towards verified businesses, potentially increasing revenue from direct customer service applications. This also highlights the platform dependency of AI distribution; chatbots tied to WhatsApp now face a forced migration.
Ultimately, Microsoft’s withdrawal reflects the changing landscape of AI distribution on messaging platforms, where access is increasingly controlled by the host company. Users should export their data if they wish to retain past conversations.
