Microsoft has confirmed its AI assistant, Copilot, is being removed from WhatsApp starting January 15, 2026. This change follows a similar announcement from OpenAI regarding its ChatGPT assistant.

The decision is a direct result of upcoming changes to WhatsApp's platform policies. Parent company Meta is banning the use of its business API (which lets other companies integrate with WhatsApp) to distribute general-purpose AI chatbots that are not its own.

New WhatsApp Policies Force Removal

The new terms effectively prohibit rivals from using WhatsApp to reach customers, leaving Meta AI with no direct competition. The policy still permits businesses to use the platform for customer service and support chatbots, but not in cases where the AI itself is the main product. (Source: theverge.com)

Copilot launched on the messaging app in late 2024, providing millions of users with a simple way to interact with Microsoft's AI. Other AI services, such as Perplexity, are also expected to announce their departure from the platform soon.

What This Means for Users

Users of Copilot on WhatsApp will lose their conversation history. Because the Copilot integration on WhatsApp did not require user authentication, Microsoft cannot transfer past chats to its other platforms. Users who wish to save their conversations will need to use WhatsApp's built-in export tools before the service ends. (Source: techrepublic.com)

Microsoft points out that Copilot remains accessible on its dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, via its official website, copilot.microsoft.com, and within Windows. These platforms offer all the core features found on WhatsApp, plus additional capabilities such as Copilot Voice and Vision that the messaging app did not support.

What's Your Opinion?

Have you ever used Copilot or another AI chatbot on WhatsApp? Do you think Meta is making the right move by limiting third-party AI assistants on its platform? Will this change encourage you to use the official Copilot app or website more frequently?